Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/canoeingcampingOOcruirich 


JAMES   A.    CKUIKSHANK, 
On    cruising  trip,    Ontario,    Canada. 


Spalding  "Red  Cover"  Series  of      ^ — i  rn 
Athletic  Handbooks 
N0.6OR 


PART  I 


CANOEING 


A  Little  Book  for  the  Lover  of  Woods  and  Waters 

and  in  Praise  of  the  Light  and  Fragile  Craft  of 

the  American  Indian  with  which  Continents 

have  been  Explored  and  which  has  now 

become   the   Most   Popular  of  all 

Vehicles   with   which   to  find 

Sport,   Recuperation  and 

Rest  out  of   doors. 


BY 

JAMES  A.  CRUIKSHANK 


PHOTOGRAPHS  BY  THE  AUTHOR 


PUBLISHED  BY 

AMERICAN  SPORTS  PUBLISHING 

COMPANY 

21  Warren  Street,  New  York 


CONTENTS 

PART  I  PAo. 

Introduction 6 

Canoes  of  All  Nations 8 

The  Open,  Cruising  Canoe 11 

Decked  Paddling  Canoes 18 

Decked  Sailing  Canoes 24 

Canoe  Cruising  and  Cruises 30 

Equipment  for  Canoe  Cruising 38 

The  American  Canoe  Association 46 

Racing  Regulations  of  the  American  Canoe  Association 49 

Hints  for  the  Beginner 63 

How  to  Paddle  a  Canoe 66 

Learn  to  Swim — Canoe  Stunts — Take  a  Camera — General  Hints  70 

Sailing  Canoes 73 

The  Joys  of  Canoeing 80 

Concerning  the  Cook  on  the  Canoe  Cruise 81 

PART  II 

Camping  for  Boys  and  Girls 84 

How  a  Camp  is  Conducted 86 

The  Relation  of  Camp  Athletics  to  Character  Building 94 

Intellectual  Recreation  at  Camp 98 

"The  Long  Hike" 100 

A  Vacation  Camp 102 

Care  Necessary  in  Camp  Selection 104 

A  Boys'  Camp  with  a  Religious  Environment 106 

The  Real  Aim  of  Camping 108 

How  the  Boys'  Camp  Movement  Has  Grown 109 

The  Camp  as  an  Adjunct  to  a  Summer  School 110 

Horseback  Riding  for  Boys'  Camps Ill 

The  Value  of  Camp  Life  for  Girls 112 

Why  Basket  Ball  is  Especially  Suitable  for  Girls'  Camps 113 

Camps  for  Adults 114 

Athletics  at  Camp 115 

Camp  Life  Has  Developed  Many  Prominent  Athletes 117 


582378 


BPALBING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBEABT. 


INTRODUCTION 


Probably  no  vehicle  or  craft,  so  far  devised  by  man,  contains 
in  proportion  to  its  weight  such  marvelous  capacity  for  business 
and  pleasure  as  the  canoe.  Its  only  rival  in  lightness  and  carrying 
capacity  is  the  bicycle;  but  the  bicycle  is  limited  to  one,  or  at 
most  to  two,  passengers,  permits  practically  no  baggage  to  be 
carried,  and  is  dependent  for  its  usefulness  on  a  road  prepared  by 
man.  A  canoe  of  equal  weight  to  a  tandem  bicycle  will  com- 
fortably carry  three,  four,  or  even  five  persons,  or  two  persons 
with  ample  equipment  and  food  for  several  months  of  cruising  in 
the  wilderness  far  from  the  haunts  of  men.  It  becomes  shelter 
or  tent  in  an  emergency,  and  it  requires  only  the  natural  road  of 
river  or  lake,  that  great,  flowing  highway  which  was  man's  first 
route  to  the  regions  beyond. 

As  bearer  of  those  intangible,  priceless  gifts,  pleasure  and 
health,  even  the  tiniest  canoe  carries  such  cargo  as  rarely  falls  to 
the  lot  of  an  ocean  greyhound.  For  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that 
perhaps  no  single  implement  of  sport  enjoys  such  reasonable  cer- 
tainty that  it  will  be  used  by  many  for  simple,  wholesome  pas- 
times out  of  doors,  that  it  will  stimulate  many  to  beneficial  exer- 
cise under  sunny  skies,  that  it  will  bring  its  precious  freight  into 
the  very  heart  of  nature,  whence  come  the  finest  inspirations  of 
life. 

Fortunately,  the  canoe  is  not  a  type  of  that  "sport  by  proxy" 
which  thoughtful  students  of  modern  athletic  pastimes  are  be- 
ginning to  question  so  critically.  Nobody  comes  into  the  fas- 
cinating range  of  a  canoe's  influence  without  desiring  to  take  a 
hand  in  managing  the  craft.  Every  canoe  owner  knows  the 
avidity  with  which  guests  are  willing  to  exchange  comfortable 
seats  among  cushions  for  a  bit  of  the  strength-giving  exercise  at 
the  paddle.  And  few  who  have  ever  tasted  the  rare  joys  of  han- 
dling a  canoe  for  themselves  are  satisfied  with  mere  memories. 


6  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBEART. 

Not  a  few  men  who  have  tried  every  form  of  water  sport  end  by 
being  thoroughly  satisfied  with  the  canoe.  Some  of  the  most 
noted  canoeists  of  the  world  are  even  graduates  from  the  decks 
of  lordly  yachts,  who  have  learned  that  if  one  truly  loves  the 
water  the  nearer  one  can  get  to  it  the  happier  one  is. 

The  Americans,  and  by  that  we  mean  all  the  dwellers  on  this 
continent,  owe  much  to  the  canoe.  First  as  the  craft  with  which 
the  early  voyageurs  made  their  way  up  the  Hudson,  the  St.  Law- 
rence, along  the  Great  Lakes,  down  the  Missouri,  the  Ohio  and 
the  Mississippi,  then  to  explore  those  wonderful  rivers  of  our 
own  great  Northwest,  and  the  even  mightier  highways  of  water 
in  Canada  and  Alaska.  Perhaps  the  conquest  and  the  civilization 
of  this  continent  was  advanced  hundreds  of  years  by  reason  of 
the  birch-bark  craft  of  the  American  Indian. 

Having  served  its  day  and  generation  so  well  as  a  vehicle  for 
trade  and  exploration  the  canoe  has  renewed  its  youth  and  now 
promises'  to  become  the  most  popular  implement  for  sport  and 
nature-enjoyment  so  far  devised  by  this  or  any  other  people. 
Unless  one  is  fully  in  touch  with  the  facts,  the  statement  of  the 
rapidity  with  which  the  canoe  is  coming  into  popularity,  not 
merely  on  this  continent,  but  all  over  the  world,  reads  like  ro- 
mance. Where,  twenty  years  ago,  the  use  of  the  canoe  was  lim- 
ited to  the  real  wilds,  or  to  some  few  daring  souls  apparently  in 
search  of  the  quickest  method  of  suicide,  it  is  to-day  found  every- 
where that  men  and  women  seek  the  joys  of  the  open  air,  from 
billowy  ocean  to  tiny  mountain  stream.  Clubs  spring  up  over  night 
and  build  additions  every  year.  With  that  enthusiasm  character- 
istic of  the  American  people  in  matters  of  sport,  the  vogue  of 
canoeing  promises  to  be  one  of  the  most  interesting  developments 
in  the  wholesome  athletic  life  of  the  people  in  which  this  gener- 
ation has  been  privileged  to  participate.  Already  the  American 
canoe  has  become  one  of  the  most  popular  features  of  the  Henley 
Regatta  in  England,  perhaps  the  most  important  aquatic  festival 
held  anywhere  in  the  world;  and  the  upper  reaches  of  the  Rhine 
furnish  Continental  proof  of  the  widening  interest  taken  in  this 
strictly  American  contribution  to  the  joys  of  life  afloat.  The 
Sweetwaters  of  the  Bosphorus  and  the  sacred  waters  of  the 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBEAET.  7 

Ganges,  the  blue  Nile,  the  fjords  of  Norway  and  the  lakes  of 
South  Africa,  the  headwaters  of  the  Amazon  and  the  network  of 
canals  which  have  made  Venice  the  delight  of  artists  for  centuries 
— all  these  places  know  and  respect  the  light,  fragile,  buoyant 
thing  of  life  and  beauty  which  the  American  of  to-day  has 
learned  to  fashion  from  the  patterns  which  the  American  of  yes- 
terday handed  down.  If  America  had  contributed  no  other  gift 
to  the  sports  of  the  world,  the  modern  canoe  would  entitle  her  to 
a  respectful  ranking  among  all  those  virile  people  who  have 
learned  that  the  spirited  outdoor  pastimes  of  any  race  are  true 
foundations  upon  which  to  build  structures  of  individual  integrity 
and  character. 


BPAUOING'S    ATHLinriO    LIBRABT. 


CANOES  OF  ALL  NATIONS 


It  is  a  curious  fact  that  something  in  the  form  of  a  canoe  seems 
to  be  known  among  all  the  peoples  of  the  world.  Differing 
slightly  in  shape,  and  greatly  in  materials,  the  divergent  products 
seem  clearly  to  indicate  that  the  canoe,  as  we  know  it  to-day,  is 
not  a  thing  which  has  been  discovered  by  one  nation  and  through 
countless  centuries  slowly  shared  with  other  nations.  It  is  much 
more  likely  to  be  a  product  of  universal  necessity,  which,  after 
long  years,  has  been  evolved  to  its  present  development.  This 
seems  to  be  amply  proven  by  the  samples  of  the  canoes  of  the 
world  which,  either  in  tangible  form  or  through  drawings  and 
photographs,  have  been  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  canoe 
enthusiast 

Among  the  primitive  peoples  known  to  the  present-day  world, 
the  so-called  "dug-out"  is  almost  universal.  The  far  centers  of 
the  African  continent  and  the  upper  reaches  of  the  great  rivers 
of  South  America,  furnish  fine  examples,  perhaps  the  finest  ex- 
amples extant,  of  the  "dug-out"  craft.  Among  these  primitive 
peoples  the  shape  is  not  merely  that  of  a  log,  from  which  has 
been  scooped  out  part  of  the  body  of  the  wood ;  it  is  ofttimes  a 
carefully  shaped  craft,  having  lines  fore  and  aft  admirably  suited 
to  the  work  which  it  is  called  upon  to  do,  whether  that  be  the 
carrying  of  great  loads  on  still  lakes  and  rivers  or  the  running  of 
fast  water  white  with  foam. 

Americans  familiar  with  the  northwestern  States,  and  their 
fast-disappearing  Indian  tribes,  will  recall  the  superb  work  in  the 
form  of  "dug-out"  craft  which  can  still  be  found  there.  And 
among  the  little  rivers  of  North  and  South  Carolina  and  Georgia 
there  are  still  in  existence  and  active  use  some  of  the  best  "dug- 
outs" to  be  found  in  the  world  to-day.  Perhaps  it  would  be  fair 
to  say  that  the  finest  examples  of  the  ancient  "dug-out"  craft  to 
be  found  anywhere,  outside  of  museums,  is  among  the  river  folk 
of  the  eastern  part  of  the  Carolinas  and  Georgia. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBABT.  9 

But  the  immediate  predecessor  of  the  canoe  is  found  among  the 
wide  varieties  of  water  craft  which  have  a  cover  or  shell  or  skin 
of  some  form.  And  again  it  is  found  that  this  sort  of  construc- 
tion is  so  universal  among  the  ancient  peoples  of  the  world  as  to 
clearly  indicate  that  it  has  been  a  local  development  from  the 
stimulus  of  necessity,  rather  than  the  copying  of  the  arts  of 
other  people. 

The  kayak  of  the  Eskimo  and  the  dwellers  in  the  arctic  regions 
offers  an  excellent  example  of  the  skin-covered  craft  at  its  best. 
Perhaps  it  is  not  too  fulsome  praise  of  this  craft  to  say  that  no 
shape  or  method  of  construction  so  far  adapted  to  carrying  human 
beings  in  small  numbers  on  rough  water  or  under  varying  condi- 
tions has  so  far  been  discovered.  These  tiny,  light,  amazingly 
buoyant  things,  bobbing  about  like  a  cork  on  the  crest  of  the 
waves,  never  fail  to  furnish  the  traveler  and  the  explorer  who 
see  them  for  the  first  time  a  sensation  rarely  duplicated.  And 
some  of  the  tricks  which  can  be  done  in  and  with  these  tiny, 
unique  things  are  almost  unbelievable ;  as,  for  instance,  the  aston- 
ishing performance  of  turning  the  craft,  with  the  paddler  and 
his  duffel,  perhaps  with  even  two  paddlers,  completely  over  to  the 
right  or  left,  the  men  retaining  their  places  in  the  kayak  and 
coming  up  on  the  other  side  as  i£  nothing  had  happened — and, 
incidentally,  with  the  contents  of  the  kayak  dry  and  unharmed. 
The  writer  has  often  thought  that  this  water  trick,  which  is  by 
no  means  uncommon  anywhere  in  the  regions  where  the  kayak  is 
known  and  used,  would  make  a  distinct  sensation  if  introduced 
into  some  of  our  aquatic  festivals. 

The  skin-covered  canoe,  at  its  best  in  the  kayak,  is  also  found 
widely  distributed.  The  "coracle"  of  Ireland  and  Scotland,  and 
the  bullock-skin  craft  of  Africa,  are  modern  examples,  although 
the  shape  of  the  "coracle"  is  at  the  extreme  of  difference  from 
that  of  the  kayak.  Where  the  kayak  is  narrow  and  sharp-ended, 
the  "coracle"  is  wide  and  beamy  and  almost  round  in  shape,  or 
elliptical.  The  "coracle,"  too,  is  intended  for  transportation  over- 
land, in  wt^ch  respect  it  may  be  said  to  be  more  specifically  re- 
lated to  the  modern  canoe  than  the  kayak,  although  the  kayak  is 
much  more  closely  related  in  form  and  structure  to  the  modern 


10  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

canoe  than  is  the  "coracle."  The  "coracle"  is  often  used  in  fish- 
ing the  salmon  waters  and  lakes  of  Scotland  and  Ireland,  can  be 
carried  on  the  back  or  in  the  crook  of  the  arm,  generally  does  not 
exceed  ten  or  eleven  feet  in  length  to  three  feet  in  beam  and 
is  extremely  shallow.  The  kayak  varies  greatly  in  model,  rang- 
ing in  length  from  ten  feet  to  twenty,  and  in  beam  from 
eighteen  to  forty  inches,  while  its  shape  at  bow  and  stern  is 
fitted  to  the  nature  of  the  waters  in  which  it  is  to  be  used, 
in  some  cases  being  sharp  and  low,  and  in  others  very  full  and 
round  below  the  water  line  and  high  and  peaked  above. 

From  these  various  sources,  or  in  spite  of  them,  has  come 
or  been  evolved  the  modern  canoe.  It  is  interesting  that 
the  various  types  of  the  modern  canoe  embody  many  features 
of  these  ancient  and  historic  predecessors.  Some  have  the  wood 
buoyancy  of  the  "dug-out,"  its  tendency  to  crack  open,  its 
tendency  therefrom  to  leak,  and  some  minor  ills  of  the  all-wood 
water  craft.  Some  have  the  tightly  stretched  skin  over  frame  of 
wood,  with  this  one  difference,  that  whereas  the  ancients  made 
the  canoe  cover  from  the  skin  of  an  animal  or  fish,  or  the  bark 
of  a  tree,  the  modern  canoe  builder  makes  it  of  canvas,  perhaps 
of  paper  or  pantasote,  or  steel  or  aluminum.  And  the  modern 
canoe,  like  its  ancestors,  is  either  decked  or  open.  The  latest 
types  of  canoes,  for  use  where  canoeing  is  more  popular  than 
anywhere  else  in  the  whole  world,  are  actually  reverting  back  to 
the  tiny  cock-pit  of  the  Eskimo  kayak  builder,  although  the 
need  for  protection  from  rough  waters  is  remote  indeed.  So, 
although  the  canoe  is  ancient  and  associated  with  all  the  virile, 
roving  people  of  the  four  continents,  it  still  retains  in  its  general 
form  and  mode  of  construction  the  features  which  from  time 
immemorial  adapted  it  to  the  needs  of  man. 


BPALDING'S   ATHLETIC   LIBEAKT.  U 


THE  OPEN.  CRUISING  CANOE 


Twenty  years  ago,  or  less,  the  decked  sailing  canoe  was  prac- 
tically the  only  canoe  known  to  the  sport-loving  folks  of  the 
United  States.  True,  occasional  daring  travelers  in  the  Cana- 
dian wilderness  learned  the  charm  and  the  usefulness  of  the 
open  cruising  birch-bark  or  cedar  or  basswood,  but  the  intro- 
duction of  this  construction  into  the  general  water-life  of  civili- 
zation had  scarcely  begun.  In  the  Adirondacks  of  New  York 
state  there  was  a  craft  called  a  canoe,  but  it  was  almost  invariably 
propelled  by  oars  and  should  rightly  be  called  a  skiff  or  boat. 

To-day  the  open,  cruising  canoe,  either  of  wood,  without  or 
with  canvas  cover,  or  of  papier-mache  or  linenoid,  or  steel,  or 
aluminum,  or  phosphor  bronze,  is  so  far  in  the  lead  as  to 
numbers  and  popularity  among  the  water-sport  enthusiasts  of  the 
whole  world  as  to  render  the  decked  sailing  canoe  a  very  minor 
item  in  the  general  canoeing  world.  The  decked  sailing  canoe 
probably  does  not  number  one-tenth  of  the  whole  fleet  of  canoes 
now  being  used  for  sport  and  cruising. 

No  animadversions  are  implied  against  the  decked  sailing 
canoe.  It  is  now,  as  it  always  has  been,  a  fascinating,  thrilling 
medium  for  the  enjoyment  of  sport  afloat.  In  some  respects 
it  provides  the  most  spectacular  and  daring  sport  so  far  listed 
in  the  athletic  doings  of  the  world. 

The  open,  cruising  canoe  ranges  to  great  extremes  in  the 
matter  of  material  out  of  which  it  is  built,  dimensions,  shape, 
weight,  capacity  and  uses.  It  may  be  said  to  be  the  most  versa- 
tile craft  now  in  use  on  any  of  the  waters  of  the  world,  for  it 
serves  with  equal  success  the  aristocratic  sportsman  seeking 
mere  pastimes  of  the  woods  and  waters,  the  hardy  prospector 
cruising  the  uncharted  wilderness  in  search  of  precious  gold  and 
silver,  the  pioneering  railroad  crew  pushing  ribbons  of  steel 
across  continents,  the  trapper,  fur  trader,  and  the  half-wild 
folks  who  live  on  the  very  edge  of  man's  domains. 


It  SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC   LIBEABT. 

The  Open,  cruising  canoe  varies  wonderfully  in  iaodel  and 
size.  The  writer  has  seen  a  birch-bark  canoe  away  up  in  the 
Hudson's  Bay  region  which  actually  carried  a  piano  to  the 
isolated  post  of  a  fur-trader.  On  the  other  extreme  is  the 
open  cruising  canoe  in  which  that  master  of  canoeing,  the 
immortal  "Nessmuk,"  made  several  of  his  famous  cruistfs;  a 
mere  shell  of  cedar  over  a  score  of  ribs  and  weighing  less  than 
ten  pounds. 

Between  these  extremes  are  the  great  array  of  open,  cruising 
canoes  in  use  for  all  varieties  of  sport  and  business.  The  fact 
that  the  open,  cruising  canoe  is  so  rapidly  increasing  in  popu- 
larity, over  against  the  fact  that  the  decked  sailing  canoe  is  barely 
holding  its  own,  indicates  that  the  open,  cruising  model  has 
greater  variety  of  uses,  is  more  generally  serviceable,  and  meets 
a  much  more  universal  need  than  its  more  aristocratic  and  more 
artistic  cousin.  To  the  lover  of  water  sport,  the  marvelous 
interest  in  the  open,  cruising  canoe,  adaptable  to  anybody,  re- 
quiring but  little  training  for  its  successful  use,  light  enough  to 
be  carried  from  one  waterway  or  lake  to  another,  cheapest  of  all 
devices  with  which  to  cruise  from  place  to  place,  and  incompar- 
ably the  most  ideal  craft  so  far  devised  by  man  with  which  to 
study  out  the  fascinating  secrets  of  nature — all  these  facts  make 
the  widening  vogue  of  the  canoe  matter  for  congratulation  and 
delight. 

The  open,  cruising  canoe,  as  generally  constructed  to-day, 
ranges  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  in  length,  has  practically  no 
decks,  save  for  a  few  inches  at  bow  and  stern,  probably  used 
more  for  the  purpose  of  bracing  the  ends  than  for  any  other  use. 
Some  manufacturers  of  strictly  wood  canoes  do  furnish  a 
decking  of  about  fifteen  inches  inboard  from  bow  to  stern,  and 
a  limited  number  of  open,  cruising  canoes  have  a  very  narrow 
decking  which  runs  from  bow  to  stern,  but,  in  general,  decks 
of  any  kind  are  not  found  in  the  average  open,  cruising  canoe. 
^  For  small  rivers,  small  lakes  and  one-man  use,  the  fifteen  foot 
or  sixteen  foot  is  suitable  and  popular.  For  two  men,  carrying 
camping  outfit  and  cruising  from  place  to  place  in  country 
where  some  or  much  carrying  must  be  done,  the  seventeen  foot 


SPALDING'3  ATHLETIC  LIBRABT.  U 

length  is  best,  although  an  increasing  number  of  expert  Cana- 
dian canoe  cruisers  are  using  sixteen  foot  lengths  for  this  work. 
On  large  lakes,  where  rough  water  may  be  expected,  or  for  use 
on  salt  water  of  bays  or  ocean,  eighteen  foot  canoes  are  to  be 
recommended. 

In  materials,  the  American  swears  by  the  canvas-covered  craft, 
over  a  frame  or  shell  of  cedar  or  basswood  and  ribs  of  cedar. 
The  Canadians  have  long  preferred  the  all-wood  canoe  of  cedar 
or  basswood,  but  the  writer's  long  travels  among  the  Canadian 
canoe  users  warrants  him  in  saying  that  the  canvas-covered 
canoe,  often  known  in  Canada  as  "the  American  style,"  is 
greatly  increasing  in  popularity,  not  merely  among"  skilled  ama- 
teurs but,  what  is  much  more  significant,  among  the  rangers  of 
governmental  parks,  among  leading  guides,  and  in  the  resorts 
where  severe  service  is  required.  Strong  prejudices  are  met 
here  and  there  on  either  side  of  the  border  as  to  wood  or  canvas 
outsides  for  canoes,  but  the  writer  believes  that  the  canvas- 
covered  canoe  is  making  friends  so  fast  that  within  a  few  years 
the  all-wood  canoe  will  be  comparatively  rare  among  cruising 
canoes.  The  writer  confesses  his  own  strong  preference  for 
the  canvas-covered  canoe  after  many  years'  use  of  canoes  of  all 
sorts  and  materials,  ranging  from  birch-bark  to  linenoid  and 
steel.  For  durability,  dryness,  buoyancy,  ease  of  repair  and 
general  utility,  the  properly  constructed  canvas-covered  canoe 
is  without  a  peer. 

For  a  cruising  model,  suitable  for  general  uses  on  rivers  and 
waterways  where  moderate  weather  conditions  prevail,  and 
adapted  to  the  use  of  two  people,  with  or  without  camping  duffel, 
there  is  a  design,  known  as  the  "Maine  Guide's"  canoe,  which 
has  become  famous  everywhere  that  canoes  are  used.  It  had 
its  origin  in  the  varied  waters  of  the  state  of  Maine  and  is 
well  adapted  to  fast  water,  running  rapids,  big  and  dangerous 
lakes,  and  even  to  general  salt  water  uses,  although  for  this 
latter  use  a  special  model  has  been  devised  that  has  met  with 
general  app^roval.  The  amateur,  seeking  the  right  model  for 
geineral  cruising  or  summer  uses,  should  be  governed  by  the 
details  of  these  famous  designs,  for  their  safety  and  staunchness 


14  SPiLLDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRAET. 

has  been  proven  thousands  of  times  on  waters  ranging  from 
the  Rhine  to  the  Columbia,  from  the  Penobscot  to  the  Amazon. 
The  general  lines  of  a  canoe  best  suited  to  average  use  on 
average  waters,  implying  running  water  and  lakes,  with  a  bit  of 
stiff  weather  occasionally,  are  as  follows : 

i6  feet  length,  33  inches  beam,  12  inches  depth,  weight  about 
65  pounds. 

17  feet  length,  34  inches  beam,  13  inches  depth,  weight  about 
70  pounds. 

18  feet  length,  34%  inches  beam,  13  inches  depth,  weight  about 
75  pounds. 

20  feet  length,  39%  inches  beam,  13%  inches  depth,  weight 
about  90  pounds. 

Such  a  canoe  ought  to  have  comparatively  flat  floor  or  bottom, 
extending  well  into  the  ends,  which  adds  stability  and  makes  for 
speed.  It  should  have  full  bow  and  stern,  to  give  quick  buoy- 
ancy, meeting  the  coming  or  following  waves.  It  should  have 
very  little  rise  of  the  extreme  upper  ends,  since  such  rise  fur- 
nishes leverage  for  the  wind  and  seriously  interferes  with  easy 
paddling  in  bad  weather.  If  the  canoe  is  to  be  used  on  salt 
water  or  in  very  large  lakes  where  bad  weather  may  be  encoun- 
tered, it  should  have  not  quite  such  a  flat  floor  or  bottom ;  some- 
thing of  the  curve  bottom  of  the  yawl  is  better  for  seaworthy 
purposes. 

In  the  matter  of  a  keel,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  there 
are  now  very  few  canoes  commercially  sent  out  without  keels. 
Even  those  which  are  to  be  used  in  river  work,  where  there  is 
liable  to  be  stiff  current,  are  now  provided  with  keels.  But 
there  can  be  no  question,  in  the  mind  of  any  experienced  river 
cruiser,  that  the  keel  may  be  an  element  of  positive  danger  if 
one  is  cruising  on  fast  water  in  rivers.  One  of  the  most 
important  and  difficult  feats  with  a  canoe,  on  fast  water,  is  to 
"draw"  it  sideways,  by  the  use  of  the  paddle,  across  some 
smooth  but  fast- running  water  just  above  rapids,  sa  as  to  get 
the  right  position  in  which  to  shoot  the  rapids;  in  this 
extremely  important  bit  of  canoe  handling  a  keel  may  spell  the 


SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRARY.  ]0 

diflFerence  between  easy  success  and  disastrous  failure.  Again, 
there  are  many  times  in  running  fast  water  when  even  the 
slightest  projection  on  the  bottom  of  the  canoe  will  cause  it 
to  catch  and  hang.  No  canoe  intended  primarily  for  running 
fast  water  of  rivers  should  be  equipped  with  a  keel. 

On  the  other  hand  the  growing  use  of  the  keel  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  on  lakes,  in  wind,  in  crowded  waterways,  where  there 
are  many  other  watercraft  and  where  manoeuvering  is  important, 
thei  keel  is  most  valuable.  Moreover,  it  certainly  does  tend  to 
strengthen  and  stiffen  a  canoe  and  adds  considerably  to  its 
length  of  life.  The  best  models  of  canoes  adapted  to  general 
use  on  rivers  or  lakes  are  therefore  now  offered  with  or  without 
keels.  The  beginner  will  make  his  choice  according  to  his  plans 
for  the  use  of  his  craft. 

An  important  feature,  which  the  writer  believes  ought  to 
be  incorporated  into  the  construction  of  every  canoe,  is  the 
extension  gunwale.  A  sort  of  inch-wide,  stiff,  outside  gunwale, 
running  the  whole  length  of  the  canoe  and  standing  at  right 
angles  to  the  sides  of  the  craft,  forms  a  most  remarkable  pro- 
tection from  breaking  waves,  besides  furnishing  a  handy  edge 
for  grasping  when  the  canoe  is  carried  overhead  or  handled. 
This  extension  gunwale  is  by  no  means  as  well  known  on  this 
side  of  the  border  as  it  ought  to  be;  when  it  is,  its  vogue  will 
be  universal.  A  half-inch  extension  gunwale  is  worth  two 
inches  additional  freeboard  or  height  of  sides. 

While  the  open,  cruising  canoe  is  generally  of  the  pattern 
and  construction  described,  there  are  a  few  of  the  old  guard 
"Nessmuks"  left,  who  cruise  in  the  very  short,  extremely  light 
craft,  built  solely  of  cedar,  basswood,  cypress  or  n^ahogany, 
without  decks  of  any  kind,  or  with  long  decks,  and  propelled  by 
double-blade  paddles.  There  are  not  many  of  this  fine  old 
coterie,  and  pity  'tis  their  tribe  is  waning,  but  they  make  up  in 
quality  and  dignity  what  they  lack  in  numbers.  Many  features 
of  their  outfit  are  well  worthy  of  study  by  the  young  fellows 
who  are  takflng  up  the  sport  of  fast  and  far  cruising  in  heavier, 
less  beautiful  craft. 

If  the  writer,  from  his  experience,  correctly  sizes  up  the  canoe- 


16  SPAUDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBHART. 

ing  situation,  there  is  likely  to  be  a  return  soon  to  the  extremely 
light,  one  man,  center  seat,  double  blade  propelled  canoe  for 
small  river  and  general  cruising.  It  is  not  quite  as  sociable  as 
the  larger  canoe,  being  generally  incapable  of  carrying  more 
than  one  man  and  light  equipment,  but  for  that  very  reason  it 
can  almost  be  used,  as  one  of  its  devotees  says,  "on  a  heavy  dew." 
The  open,  cruising  canoe,  of  cedar  or  other  woods,  and  with 
or  without  outside  cover  or  skin  of  canvas,  is  the  preferred 
craft  for  all  forms  of  real  woods  travel  in  the  United  States 
and  Canada,  and  the  writer  was  very  much  surprised  a  year  or 
so  ago,  during  an  extended  trip  abroad,  to  find  large  numbers 
of  these  typically  American  canoes,  made  in  Waterville,  Maine,  in 
popular  service  at  such  famous  aquatic  festivals  as  the  Henley 
Regatta  on  the  Thames  River,  in  England,  and  others,  of  the 
same  make,  away  up  on  the  far  reaches  of  the  River  Rhine,  in 
Germany.  It  appears  that  America  has  really  made  definite, 
permanent  contribution  to  the  water  sport  of  the  world  in  the 
developed  craft  which  she  has  fashioned  from  the  designs  of 
the  American  aborigines. 

The  open,  cruising  canoe,  as  used  for  fishing,  hunting,  explor- 
ing, cruising  the^  famous  routes  of  Maine  and  Canada  and  the 
western  part  of  this  continent,  is  almost  invariably  propelled  by 
two  paddles  of  single  blades,  wielded  by  two  men,  one  seated 
in  the  extreme  stern  of  the  craft  and  the  other  near  the  bow. 
In  the  United  States  the  use  of  seats  for  both  paddlers  is  cus- 
tomary, but  the  Canadian  paddlers  kneel  on  the  bottom  of  the 
craft  and  rest  buttocks  against  the  thwarts.  Occasionally  canoes 
of  this  pattern  will  be  seen  propelled  by  two  paddlers,  using 
double  blades  and  seated  on  the  bottom  of  the  canoe  near  the 
center. 

Such  a  canoe  as  has  been  described  in  the  first  part  of  this 
chapter,  seventeen  feet  in  length  and  about  thirty-five  inches 
beam,  is  capable  of  comfortably  housing  two  persons  and  all 
their  duffel  and  supplies  for  a  two  months'  cruise  far  from  human 
habitation.  Such  a  craft,  drawing  less  than  six  incrj}c,s  of  water, 
is  capable  of  carrying  a  total  of  more  than  six  hundred  pounds 
of  freight. 


V  -     ;;^     <r 


Ancient   "coracle,"   or  skin-covered   canoe,  still   in  use   in  Ireland. 


The   author    portaging    by    Indian 
tumpline    method. 


Hudson   Bay   men   carrying  big 
canoe. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBABT.  17 

There  should  also  be  mentioned  here  the  club-four  and  war 
canoes,  in  which  from  four  to  twenty  men  are  carried  and  which 
are  a  spectacular  feature  of  the  canoe  meets  of  the  country. 
The  Toronto  Canoe  Club  originated  the  war  canoe  some  twenty 
years  ago,  although  it  is  really  an  adaptation  of  the  large  Hudson 
Bay  canoes,  in  which  supplies  have  been  carried  for  centuries. 

The  extremely  light  racing  canoe,  open,  and  paddled  by  one 
man  kneeling  or  half-kneeling,  amidships,  is  also  entitled  to 
mention.  This,  too,  is  a  Canadian  development,  although  now 
used  almost  everywhere  that  canoe  experts  congregate. 

Open  canoes  are  frequently  supplied  with  what  are  known  as 
"sponsons,"  or  air  chambers,  running  along  the  sides  from  bow 
to  stern.  These  actually  render  the  canoe  a  life  raft  and  add 
very  little  to  its  weight.  With  them  a  canoe,  fully  submerged, 
will  support  several  persons.  For  those  who  feel  a  little  timid 
about  venturing  in  the  ordinary  canoe,  sponsons  add  greatly  to 
comfort,  and  they  are  frequently  employed  on  canoes  to  be 
used  for  sailing.  With  a  sponson-rigged  canoe,  ladies  and 
children  may  confidently  venture  into  the  rare  joys  of  the  sport 
who  might  never  otherwise  attempt  it. 

Motors  are  now  being  installed  into  canoes.  The  popularity 
of  this  sort  of  water  sport  is  rapidly  increasing,  whatever  some 
may  think  concerning  the  irrelevancy  of  a  motor  and  a  canoe. 
Of  course,  for  the  lightly  constructed  and  shoal  draft  canoes 
of  the  day,  the  motor  must  be  very  light,  must  be  set  very  low 
in  the  craft,  and  must  hfive  little  vibration;  but  special  canoes 
are  being  built,  decked  over  fore  and  aft,  and  often  equipped 
with  sponsons,  which  are  practically  revolutionizing  the  opinion 
of  the  canoe  veterans  concerning  the  suitability  of  canoes  as 
motor  boats. 


BPAZJDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBBARY. 


DECKED  PADDLING  CANOES 


The  decked  paddling  canoes  in  popular  use  in  the  United 
States  and  Canada  may  be  said  to  be  of  two  classes:  (i)  those 
which  are  used  in  actual  cruising  or  are  adapted  to  transporta- 
tion, either  by  their  owner's  or  on  others'  backs  or  shoulders, 
and  (2)  those  which  are  not  intended  to  be  transported  from 
the  water  in  which  they  are  launched.  Thus,  we  might  speci- 
fically refer  to  the  decked  paddling  canoes  of  some  of  the 
men  of  the  American  Canoe  Association  or  other  ckibs,  in 
which  actual  cruises  are  made  from  time  to  time,  and  contrast 
them  with  the  decked  paddling  canoes  in  such  large  use  on  the 
waters  of  the  Charles  River,  Massachusetts,  and  to  a  lesser 
extent  on  other  similar  canoe  waters  of  the  east  and  the  west. 
While  both  these  types  are  decked  paddling  canoes,  they  are 
so  very  different  in  model  and  construction  as  to  be  almost  un- 
related. 

The  decked  paddling  canoe  of  the  Charles  River,  Massachu- 
setts, is  in  many  respects  a  purely  local  development,  which 
has  gradually  found  popularity  elsewhere.  But  there  is  good 
reason  to  believe  that,  in  many  important  respects,  the  Charles 
River  sets  an  increasingly  potent  influence  upon  the  canoeing 
styles  of  the  country,  and  thereby  upon  the  world — for  it  goes 
without  saying  that  the  United  States  leads  the  world  in  the 
number  of  canoes  in  active  use  and  the  popularity  of  the  sport. 

The  Charles  River,  Massachusetts,  is  the  most  remarkable 
canoeing  water  in  the  world,  regarded  either  from  the  stand- 
p'oint  of  the  number  of  canoes  used  or  the  development  of 
what  might  be  called  the  accessories  of  the  sport.  Here,  within 
three  miles  along  the  river,  are  stored  more  than  seven  thousand 
canoes.  Saturday  afternoons  and  Sunday  afternoons  there  are 
frequently  over  three  thousand  canoes  side  to  side  as  their 
occupants  listen  to  superb  band  concerts  played  from  a  music 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  19 

Stand,  overhanging  the  river,  erected  for  the  special  use  of 
the  canoeist's  band. 

The  canoes,  filled  with  young  people  in  white  and  gay  with 
colored  cushions  and  flags,  float  lazily  about  on  the  placid 
bosom  of  the  river,  almost  crowding  the  exquisite  native  water 
lilies  out  of  sight.  A  few  years  ago  a  young  man  did  the  unique 
"stunt"  of  walking  half  a  mile  in  the  middle  of  the  river, 
stepping  from  canoe  to  canoe.  Perhaps  nowhere  else  in  all 
the  world  is  there  an  aquatic  festival  which  at  all  approaches 
in  beauty  and  novelty  the  Saturday  and  Sunday  pictures  to  be 
seen  on  the  Charles  River.  The  far-famed  and  much-advertised 
Henley  Regatta  of  England  brings  greater  bodies  of  men  to- 
gether for  racing  purposes,  but  it  is  inferior  as  a  spectacle 
to  the  weekly  regatta  which  this  beautiful  New  England  stream, 
close  to  one  of  our  great  cities,  provides.  Then,  too,  reference 
ought  to  be  made  to  the  fact  that  New  England  summer  weather 
is  much  more  likely  to  contribute  to  outdoor  sport  than  is  the 
dubious  thing  which  the  English  weather  man  furnishes  the 
devotees  of  the  Henley  event. 

The  Charles  River  decked  paddling  canoe  is  unique.  Nowhere 
else  in  the  world  is  craft  of  the  kind  to  be  seen.  To  describe 
it  is  difficult.  To  see  it  in  use  is  to  question  one's  opinions  of 
the  fundamental  theories  of  the  canoe;  for  many  of  the  pet 
ideas  which  the  expert  and  the  veteran  have  come  to  associate 
with  the  thing  called  a  canoe  are  thrown  to  the  winds  by  these 
daring  pioneers  in  the  construction  and  handling  of  the  Charles 
River  craft. 

The  general  length  of  the  Charles  River  decked  paddling 
canoe  is  sixteen  or  seventeen  feet,  although  a  few  longer  and 
a  few  shorter  ones  are  seen.  The  beam  of  a  seventeen-foot 
canoe  would  be  thirty-four  inches  and  depth  amidship  twelve 
inches.  There  is  considerable  convexity  at  thg  beam,  or  "tum- 
ble home,"  as  the  sailor  or  canoe  man  calls  it,  which  means 
that  the  canoe  is  considerably  wider  at  the  water  line  than  it 
is  at  the  gunwale.  In  the  case  of  the  latest  Charles  River 
models,  this  tumble  home  is  exaggerated  until  it  reaches  three 
to  four  inches.     There  is  also  great  rise  at  the  extreme  bow 


91  BPAIiDINQ'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRARY. 

and  stem,  sometimes  as  much  as  six  to  eight  inches  above  the 
gunwale  in  center  of  canoe.  Also,  in  some  of  the  late  designs, 
there  is  what  is  known  as  a  goose-neck  bow  and  stern,  a  double 
or  "S"  curve  from  the  extreme  bow  and  stern  to  the  top  of  stem 
or  stern  post. 

But  it  is  in  the  matter  of  decking  that  the  Charles  River 
tanoe  is  unique.  Perhaps  nowhere  is  there  such  originality- 
shown  in  the  shape  of  decks  as  in  the  canoes  used  on  this  river. 
What  was  formerly  merely  a  tendency  has  been  developed  to  an 
extreme  which  permits  of  no  further  development.  The  writer 
admits  no  special  admiration  for  this  model,  but  records  here 
the  facts  as  being  part  of  the  story  of  the  canoe. 

Probably  the  best  way  to  convey  to  the  reader  an  accurate 
idea  of  the  latest  Charles  River  model  is  to  describe  one  of  the 
canoes  now  being  built  for  a  leading  Charles  River  canoeist  in 
Noirumbega  Park  Boat  House,  Auburndale,  Mass,  The  craft 
is  to  be  seventeen  feet  long,  thirty-five  inches  beam  at  gun- 
wales, thirty-seven  inches  extreme  beam,  with  depth  amidships 
of  eleven  inches  and  depth  at  bow  and  stern  of  nineteen.  There 
is  to  be  full,  round  curve  at  bow  and  stern  posts,  ending  in 
slight  outcurve  of  stem  and  stern  posts,  making  a  goose-neck  or 
"S"  shape..  The  material  is  to  be  cedar  covered  with  canvas, 
enameled  light  blue,  with  a  three-inch  gold  stripe  along  gunwales 
and  monogram  in  three  colors  at  starboard  bow  and  port  stem. 
The  gunwales  are  to  be  of  mahogany,  as  also  the  thwarts,  of 
which  only  two  are  to  be  seen,  one  at  each  extreme  end  of 
cockpit.  The  decks  are  to  be  of  mahogany  and  birch,  having  a 
rise  of  three  inches  in  center,  and  extending  from  bow  and 
stern  six  and  one-half  feet,  leaving  an  open  cockpit  of  only 
forty  inches.  Three-quarter  inch  coaming  of  mahogany  around 
cockpit  fore  and  aft.    No  decking  along  sides  of  canoe. 

In  general  the  model  of  the  Charles  River  canoe  is  very  flat 
on  the  floor  or  bottom,  giving  great  steadiness  and  light  draft. 
There  are  many  fine  reaches  of  the  Charles  River  where  the 
very  minimum  of  draft  is  required,  especially  late  in  the  season. 
The  sharpness  of  bow  and  stern  makes  for  speed  and  ease  of 
management,  and  the  almost  invariable  use  of  a  three-quarter 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  21 

inch  keel  facilitates  the  quick  turns  so  essential  in  this  crowded 
river,  especially  as  the  habit  of  the  Charles  River  canoemen 
is  to  paddle  with  the  craft  heeled  far  over.  In"  fact,  this  habit 
invariably  strikes  the  critical  visitor  as  being  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  canoeing  customs  he  has  ever  witnessed.  The  sea- 
soned canoe  cruiser,  accustomed  to  the  wise  habit  of  keeping  a 
canoe  on  an  absolutely  even  keel,  will  marvel  at  this  revolu- 
tionary custom  of  the  best  canoemen  of  the  Charles.  Suffice  it 
to  say  that  nowhere  but  on  the  Charles  or  similar  placid  waters 
could  any  such  habit  obtain. 

These  Charles  River  canoes,  with  th^ir  tiny  cockpits,  in  which 
the  paddler  and  one  guest — or,  with  a  bit  of  crowding,  possibly 
two — sit,  must,  of  course,  be  propelled  from  the  center  and 
not  from  the  stern.  And  truth  compels  the  statement  that  the 
writer  has  never  seen  canoemen  who  could  make  a  paddle 
wielded  from  the  center  of  a  canoe  so  perfectly  control  the  craft 
as  do  these  Charles  River  experts.  It  is,  of  course,  known  to 
canoe  cruisers  that  many  of  the  Indians  and  halfbreeds  of 
Canada  run  rapids  and  do  much  daring  canoe  management  from 
the  center  of  the  canoe,  using  one -blade  paddles.  Next  to  them 
in  the  art  of  managing  a  canoe  from  the  center  are  the  Charles 
River  men.  It  goes  without  saying  that  the  paddle  is  never 
changed  from  side  to  side  in  this  work,  partly  because  of  the 
strong  "list"  or  tilt  of  the  canoe  toward  the  side  occupied  by 
the  paddler,  and  partly  because  of  the  presence  of  the  guest, 
over  whom  one  would  have  to  lean  to  paddle  on  the  other  side. 

The  leading  canoemen  of  the  Charles  River  generally  have 
their  canoes  locally  built  to  order  to  their  own  specifications. 
There  are  thousands  of  regulation  open,  paddling  or  cruising 
canoes  used  on  this  water,  but  the  distinctive  Charles  River 
model  which  has  come  to  be  associated  with  the  river,  and  which 
is  rapidly  making  its  way  all  over  the  world  where  similM* 
water  conditions  are  found,  is  of  the  type  and  specifications 
described. 

Another  type  of  decked  paddling  canoe  was  first  brought  into 
prominence  by  the  Scotchman  MacGregor,  some  forty  years  ago, 
when  he  made  several  most  remarkable  cruises  alone  in  his  "Rob 


21  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

Roy"  on  some  of  the  great  rivers  of  the  world.  Many  men  will 
recall  having  read  his  splendid  stories  in  their  boyhood  days.  His 
cruises  on  the  Rhine  and  the  Jordan  are  classics  of  the  sport 
of  canoeing  and  as  interesting  to-day  as  they  were  when  pub- 
lished. While  he  used  sails  or  a  sail  as  auxiliary  help,  much 
of  his  travel  was  by  means  of  a  double-blade  paddle,  and  it  was 
his  experiences,  probably,  which  resulted  in  the  large  vogue  of 
the  small,  one-man,  decked  canoe  propelled  with  the  double  blade. 

Following  him  came  the  veteran  "Nessmuk,"  best  known  of 
all  American  pioneer  canoeists,  whose  writings,  with  their 
wealth  of  nature  lore  and  genial  philosophy,  are  unsurpassed 
among  outdoor  classics.  While  few  men  are  either  competent 
or  willing  to  go  as  light  as  "Nessmuk"  did  on  his  cruises,  there 
are  innumerable  suggestions  to  be  drawn  from  his  experiences 
of  great  value  to  cruising  canoeists  of  to-day,  not  the  least  of 
which  is  the  fact  that  it  is  not  all  of  canoeing  to  get  some- 
where. The  art  and  spirit  of  the  sport  is  not  so  much  to  arrive, 
like  a  boxed  express  package,  but  to  really  see  something,  with 
the  eye  of  the  mind  as  well  as  the  eye  of  the  body,  along  the  way. 

The  canoe  which  "Nessmuk"  used,  and  in  which  he  cruised 
over  many  of  the  rivers  of  America,  was  a  white  cedar,  open 
canoe,  ten  and  one-half  feet  long  and  it  weighed  nine  pounds 
and  ten  ounces !  Probably  no  craft  has  ever  been  made  of  equal 
lightness  which  traveled  so  far  and  stood  so  much.  It  was 
propelled  by  the  double  blade,  and  the  balance  of  the  outfit  car- 
ried by  its  skipper  weighed  less  than  twenty-fi.ve  pounds.  Modern 
cruisers  in  canoe  would  do  well  to  study  this  pioneer's  methods 
and  equipment.  The  writer  met  a  couple  of  New  York  sports- 
men a  few  years  ago,  who  were  making  a  two  months'  cruise 
in  Canada,  whose  outfit  weighed  700  pounds.  One  of  them  had 
seven  pairs  of  foot-coverings  in  his  duffel  bags! 

Followers  of  "Nessmuk"  and  MacGregor  now  use  canoes  from 
ten  to  fifteen  feet  in  length,  decked  over  from  fifteen  inches 
at  each  end  to  one-half  of  the  entire  length,  or  even  more,  and 
propelled  by  double-blade  paddling  from  the  center,  where  the 
skipper  sits  on  the  bottom  with  a  folding  seat  as  brace  for  his 
back.     Sails  are  often  used  to  assist  in  going  before  the  wind. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  28 

but,  as  the  regulation  paddling  canoe  carries  neither  leeboards 
nor  centerboard,  poor  success  is  had  sailing  across  the  wind. 

The  ample  decks  furnish  dry  stowage  and  protection  from 
incoming  waves,  and  in  some  cases  an  apron  is  provided,  with 
buttons  to  fasten  it  around  the  coaming  of  the  small  cockpit,  so 
that  the  craft  then  really  becomes  almost  a  duplicate  of  the 
kayak  of  the  Eskimo.  Such  a  rig  makes  a  canoe  about  as  sea- 
worthy as  a  lifeboat,  especially  when  the  craft,  as  is  often  the 
case,  is  furnished  with  air  compartmentsi  fore  and  aft 


SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBBART. 


DECKED  SAILING  CANOES 


The  heading  naturally  includes  the  canoe  which  is  only  sailed 
occasionally,  as,  for  instance,  the  open,  cruising  canoe  of  the 
sportsman  in  which  a  poncho  or  blanket  is  raised  upon  a  paddle, 
or  crossed  sticks,  with  which  to  take  advantage  of  the  favoring 
wind ;  or  that  primitive  device,  as  simple  as  it  is  efficient,  a  small 
bush  stuck  up  in  the  bow  of  the  canoe  and  discarded  when  the 
end  of  the  lake  is  reached.  We  speak  here  of  the  decked  canoe 
primarily  built  for  sailing,  and  equipped,  therefore,  with  the 
customary,  if  miniature,  appliances  with  which  any  craft  can 
be  made  to  sail  across  and  into  the  wind  without  unreasonable 
loss  of  direction. 

The  decked  sailing  canoe  is  the  aristocrat  of  the  canoe  family. 
Individual  examples  of  the  best  canoes  of  this  tyj^e,  with  their 
exquisite  finish  and  equipment,  the  lavish  ingenuity  with  which 
every  device  has  been  worked  out  to  its  finality  of  efficiency 
and  usefulness,  the  splendid  care  expended  on  the  maintenance 
of  every  detail  in  spick  and  span  appearance  and  condition — 
furnish  most  agreeable  illustration  of  a  sport  which  has  been 
brought  to  perfection  of  development.  A  modern  sailing  canoe 
in  coromission  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  bits  of  sporting 
equipment  to  be  found  anywhere.  It  is  a  piece  of  marine 
jewelry  fashioned  with  loving  care  from  cedar  and  brass  and 
silk  and  copper,  capable  of  the  most  wonderful  things  in  the 
hands  of  its  skilled  owner,  and  perhaps  the  nearest  approach  to 
the  spirit  of  the  wild,  winged  creatures  of  stormy  gale  and 
placid  lake  which  the  hand  of  man  has  so  far  fashioned.  All 
of  these  sentiments  being  cordially  subscribed  to  by  a  man 
whose  favorite  method  of  canoeing  is  distinctly  different  from 
that  of  the  sailor-canoeist. 

The  decked  sailing  canoe  is  probably  just  about  holding  its 
own  in  popularity.     Some  of  the  famous  leaders  in  the  sport. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRAEY.  26 

whose  names  were  almost  a  household  word  among  sportsmen 
twenty  years  or  more  ago,  have  passed  away,  leaving  traditions 
of  great  value  to  the  youngsters  who  have  taken  their  place. 
The  sailing  canoe  requires  certain  favorable  soil — or  water, 
speaking  nautically — for  its  largest  development  not  everywhere 
found.  It  also  requires  comradeship  and  competition  for  its 
best  encouragement;  the  life  and  strength  of  clubs  seems  to 
have  something,  perhaps  a  great  deal,  to  do  with  its  best  growth. 
As  a  manly,  daring,  athletic  sport  the  sailing  canoe  furnishes 
opportunities  which  are  almost  unrivaled,  and  it  seems  certain 
that  the  swing  of  the  tide  of  popularity  cannot  fail  soon  to  bring 
it  into  the  forefront  of  summer  pastimes.  As  a  spectacle,  a 
race  between  several  sailing  canoes,  managed  by  expert  sailors, 
furnishes  one  of  the  most  thrilling  pictures  afield  or  afloat. 
Probably  if  more  young  men  could  see  the  sport  at  its  best  its 
growth  would  be  greatly  stimulated.  Enthusiasts  who  decry 
its  failure  to  attract  more  devotees  may  find  in  this  hint  a 
suggestion  for  largely  augmenting  their  ranks  by  giving  sailing 
races  in  places  known  to  be  frequented  by  large  numbers  of 
canoe  lovers  and  small  boat  sailors. 

The  decked  sailing  canoe,  generally  used  for  sailing  about 
near  club  houses,  in  races,  or  for  extended  cruising,  is  custom- 
arily of  about  sixteen  feet  length,  thirty  inches  beam,  nineteen 
inches  deep  at  bow,  eleven  inches  in  center  and  sixteen  inches 
at  stern.  Naturally  the  strain  which  comes  to  a  sailing  canoe 
implies  the  best  construction,  without  undue  weight,  and  the  best 
obtainable  materials  are  employed,  including  oak  keel,  hackma- 
tack or  spruce  stem  and  stern  post,  natural  crook;  the  planking 
is  generally  white  cedar,  one-quarter  inch  thick;  sheer-strake, 
deck  and  hatches,  mahogany;  ribs,  red  elm;  coaming,  cherry; 
^nwales,  oak  or  cherry ;  bulkheads  and  deck  timbers,  cedar ; 
inside  floor,  basswood.  The  construction  is  generally  smooth 
kp,  clinch-fastened,  although  many  are  lapstreak  construction; 
the  cockpit  is  five  and  one-half  feet  in  length;  there  is  dry 
stowage  in  fore  and  aft  hatches,  and  the  canoe  is  provided  with 
a  patented  folding  centerboard,  one  of  the  cleverest  devices  for 
the  small  boat  so  far  made.     The  floor  of  the  canoe  is  flush 


16  SPAIiDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

above  the  small  centerboard  trunk,  so  that  the  craft  can  be 
slept  in  if  necessary.  Such  a  canoe  can  be  bought  for  about 
one  hundred  dollars,  which  does  not  include  sails  or  outfit. 
There  are  so  many  differences  of  opinion  about  the  details  of  a 
sailing  canoe  that  we  have  thought  it  best  to  describe  a  conven- 
tional design  generally  agreed  upon  as  embodying  no  "freak" 
ideas,  so  that  the  beginner  or  tyro,  desirous  of  the  correct  equip- 
ment, will  have  reasonably  sure  grounds  for  selecting  his  craft 
even  if  he  has  never  seen  one  of  them  close  at  hand. 

The  sails  for  such  a  sailing  canoe  vary  with  the  place  in 
which  it  is  to  be  used,  the  spirit  of  the  user,  and  the  variety  of 
purposes  for  which  he  intends  to  use  his  craft.  There  is  no 
agreement  among  the  leading  canoeists  as  to  which  design  and 
rig  is  best.  Fortunately  there  is  room  for  the  most  delightful 
individuality  in  the  rig  and  style  of  sails  for  the  sailing  canoe, 
and  this  will  probably  remain  true  as  long  as  there  are  differences 
in  shape  and  beam  and  build  of  canoes.  The  best  rig  for  all 
canoes  has  not  yet  been  devised. 

There  are  three  patterns  of  sails  in  popular  use,  the  leg-o'- 
mutton,  the  lateen,  and  various  patterns  of  the  Bailey  rig.  The 
leg-o'-mutton  rig  is  not  as  popular  as  it  used  to  be,  and  may 
lose  much  even  of  its  present  popularity  as  other  more  satis- 
factory rigs  become  better  known.  After  many  years  of  trial, 
something  of  the  pattern  of  what  is  known  as  the  Bailey  rig 
seems  destined  to  be  the  prevailing  choice  of  the  canoe  sailor 
who  requires  sail  or  sails  adapted  to  a  comparatively  shallow 
craft  and  suited  to  all  waters  and  all  winds. 

The  disadvantage  of  the  leg-o'-mutton  rig  is  the  extreme 
length  of  spars  required,  which  has  a  tendency  to  overbalance 
the  craft.  There  are  several  variations  of  the  leg-o'-mutton  rig. 
One  has  the  sail  lashed  to  mast  and  boom,  and  another  has  the 
sail  running  on  the  mast  with  rings,  implying  the  use  of  a 
halliard  and  permitting  the  sail  to  be  reefed.  The  leg-o'-mutton 
type  of  canoe  sail's  extreme  simplicity  recommends  it. 

The  lateen  rig  is  pyramidal  in  shape,  and  is  one  of  the  sim- 
plest and  easiest  rigs  to  handle  so  far  employed  in  canoe  sailing. 
It  is  especially  adapted  to  open  canoes,  since  it  balances  well 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  21 

and  has  less  tendency  to  heel  the  craft  over.  The  center  of 
effort  is  low  or  close  to  the  water  and  the  sail,  if  correctly- 
rigged,  is  capable  of  immediate  furling.  For  the  latter  purpose 
the  old  method  of  rigging,  with  a  short  rrtast  in  the  top  of  which 
is  a  pin,  over  which  a  ring  fastened  to  the  spar  of  the  sail  is  set, 
ought  not  to  be  followed.  The  better  rig  is  that  which  employs 
small  blocks  or  pulleys  with  which  to  hoist  the  sail  by  means  of 
a  halliard,  and  a  fastener  by  which  the  boom  of  the  sail  is 
kept  in  the  right  place  against  the  mast. 

The  most  popular,  and  perhaps  the  best  rig  so  far  devised  for 
sailing  canoes  consists  of  some  variation  of  the  Bailey,  Stoddard 
or  Mohican  Settee  rig.  All  of  these  rigs  are  similar  in  general 
design  and  management,  and  practically  all  of  them  are  probably 
developments  of  the  famous  balance-lug  sail  which  first  came 
into  world  notice  through  the  cruises  of  MacGregor's  "Rob 
Roy,"  for  he  used  this  sail. 

The  Bailey  rig,  while  largely  in  use  among  racers,  is  by  no 
means  limited  in  its  usefulness  to  those  who  seek  speed.  There 
are  very  many  excellent  features  about  it  which  make  it  suitable 
to  general  use  anywhere.  The  choice  of  a  sail  is  largely  a  matter 
of  personal  preference;  one  man  seeks  simplicity,  another  seeks 
scientific  efficiency,  while  another  may  want  to  be  able  to  out- 
distance or  outspeed  his  fellows.  Fortunately  there  are  admir- 
able sails  for  all  of  these  ready  at  hand.  But,  in  general,  it 
will  be  found  that  the  Bailey  rig  is  admirably  adapted  to  almost 
all  requirements,  from  leisurely  cruising  to  racing. 

The  upright  spar,  by  means  of  double  gear  set  at  top  and  foot 
of  the  short  mast,  draws  the  upright  spar  close  against  the  mast 
and  holds  it  perpendicular.  The  lower  edge,  or  foot,  of  the  sail, 
is  lashed  to  the  boom,  and  a  batten,  or  sometimes  two  battens, 
are  run  out  from  the  mast  edge,  or  luff,  of  the  sail  to  the  outside 
edge,  or  leach.  These  battens  consist  of  thin  strips  of  wood  set 
in  pockets  sewed  in  the  sail.  In  some  of  the  rigs  of  this  pattern 
a  very  clever  reefing  device  is  provided  by  which  the  sail  can  be 
reefed  down  to  the  first  batten  by  simply  drawing  taut  on  a  reef 
haul.  No  simpler  reefing  mechanism  has  ever  been  devised  for 
any   sailing  craft.     Other  rigs  of  this  pattern,  however,   are 


28  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBRAHT. 

supplied  with  loose  reef  points  sewed  in  the  sail  or  through  the 
batten. 

The  chief  points  of  advantage  of  this  rig  are  that  the  center  of 
effort  is  low  down  or  close  to  the  water,  the  sail  sets  very  flat 
and  snug  and  can  be  furled  or  reefed  almost  instantly.  Better 
things  could  hardly  be  said  of  any  rig. 

In  the  sailing  canoe  no  headway  will  be  made  across  the  wind 
without  some  sort  of  provision  for  holding  a  grip  upon  the 
water.  A  folding  centerboard  furnishes  the  best  of  all  devices 
of  this  kind,  although  the  use  of  leeboards  is  still  popular  in 
some  places.  The  advantage  of  leeboards  is,  that  they  can  be 
taken  off  the  canoe  when  it  is  desired  to  use  the  craft  for  pad- 
dling or  knocking  about  without  sail.  But  the  folding  center- 
board  takes  up  so  little  room,  and  interferes  so  little  with  the 
usefulness  of  the  canoe  for  general  purposes,  that  in  any  canoe 
used  at  all  for  serious  sailing  it  may  well  form  part  of  the 
permanent  equipment. 

The  paddle  is  not  used  for  steering  the  sailing  canoe.  The 
hands  will  find  other  things  in  plenty  to  attend  to.  Steering 
is  done  by  means  of  a  long  metal  tiller  having  a  crook  in  it  which 
passes  around  the  mizzenmast,  or,  what  is  much  better,  by  means 
of  double  steering  posts  connected  by  chains  and  gears,  the 
forward  post  of  which  is  supplied  with  springs  which  hold  the 
tiller  where  it  is  left  when  the  hand  is  taken  away  from  it. 
Steering  is  also  done  with  the  feet  in  some  canoes.  The  rudder 
may  be  of  wood  or  metal,  the  latter  material,  with  a  thin  metal 
blade  swinging  in  cheek  pieces  of  metal,  being  customary  among 
fastidious  canoe  sailors.  It  is  a  copy  of  the  ancient  canal  boat 
rudder.  It  would  be  hard  to  imagine  any  greater  transition  for 
a  rudder  design  than  that  from  a  canal  boat  to  a  canoe!  The 
adaptation  proves  how  far  the  ingenuity  of  the  modem  canoeist 
has  ranged  in  search  of  the  best  tricks  for  his  chosen  sport. 

The  seat,  in  the  sailing  canoe  of  the  expert,  is  not  down  in 
the  bottom  of  the  craft,  but  up  on  the  level  of  the  deck,  on  a 
sliding  board  which  can  be  extended  far  out  over  the  side  of  the 
canoe,  even  to  the  distance  of  five  or  six  feet.  In  such  canoes 
the  tiller  also  can  be  shifted  from  side  to  side.     One  of  the 


SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC   LIBRATIY.  29 

most  interesting  examples  of  what  might  be  termed  acrobatic 
aquatics  is  an  expert  canoe  sailor  lying  flat  on  his  back  along 
this  sliding  seat  as  the  canoe  heels  well  over  in  the  stiff  breeze. 
A  fleet  of  sailing  canoes  thus  heeled  over  in  a  race  is  one  of 
the  most  stirring  sporting  pictures  to  be  seen  anywhere. 

No  book  can  teach  a  man  how  to  sail  a  boat.  Experience  is 
the  great  teacher  in  the  art  of  sailing;  perhaps  in  no  sport 
popular  among  men  is  experience  so  fundamentally  necessary. 
Nor  does  the  writer  believe  that  a  canoe  is  the  best  craft  with 
which  to  learn  the  rudiments  of  sailing.  A  small  sloop,  or  even 
a  catboat,  but  best  of  all  a  small  yawl,  will  teach  the  tyro  more 
of  the  principles  of  sailing  in  one  week  than  any  book  could 
in  a  lifetime  or  any  canoe  could  in  several  years.  The  best 
teacher  is  a  friend  who  knows  the  art  of  small  boat  sailing  and 
who  will  be  patient  with  the  beginner's  mistakes.  And  the 
interesting  fact  is,  that  the  best  canoeists  the  writer  has  ever 
known  have  been  former  yachtsmen.  There  are  certain  habits 
of  studying  the  weather,  the  appearance  of  the  water,  the 
approach  of  squalls,  the  swing  of  tides  and  currents,  the  rules 
of  water  travel,  the  yachtsman  learns  which  are  of  inestimable 
value  to  the  canoeist,  whether  he  uses  paddle  or  sail  or  both. 

If,  however,  the  beginner  in  the  sailing  art  starts  with  a 
sailing  canoe,  let  him  select  some  comparatively  quiet  water  for 
practice,  where  tides  are  absent,  where  steady  winds  prevail, 
and  where  there  is  room  for  him  to  change  his  mind  after  an 
error  without  finding  himself  ashore  among  great  rocks  or 
close  under  the  bows  of  some  great  steamship. 


SPAIiDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBAEY. 


CANOE  CRUISING  AND  CRUISES 


The  ultimate  refinement  of  the  delights  of  canoeing  is  found 
in  the  cruise.  Whether  th^  canoeist  be  able  to  depend  wholly 
upon  himself  for  company,  and  require  no  companions  in  the 
joys  of  the  cruise,  as  some  of  the  greatest  canoeists  have  done, 
or  whether  he  forms  part  of  a  large  or  small  company  making 
the  same  trip,  the  superlative  pleasures  of  canoeing  are  found 
at  their  best  by  him — or  her — who  knows  the  sport  of  cruising. 

More  cruising  is  done  in  the  open  canoe  than  in  the  decked 
canoe;  not  merely  because  there  are  many  more  open  canoes 
than  decked  ones,  but  probably  for  the  reason  that  the  open  canoe, 
owing  to  its  greater  carrying  capacity  in  proportion  to  its 
weight  and  the  ease  with  which  it  can  be  portaged  from  one 
waterway  to  another,  or  around  dams,  waterfalls  or  other  ob- 
structions, lends  itself  better  to  the  sport. 

There  are  a  limited  number  of  enthusiasts  over  the  decked 
canoe,  propelled  with  both  paddle  and  sail,  who  make  regular 
and  extended  cruises  on  this  and  other  continents,  and  they  are 
among  the  best  equipped  and  most  expert  cruising  canoeists  to  be 
found  anywhere.  But  the  open  canoe,  propelled  almost  exclu- 
sively by  single-blade  paddles  wielded  by  two  persons,  one  in 
the  bow  and  the  other  in  the  stern,  and  loaded  with  duffel  and 
camping  kit  amidship,  is  the  most  popular  and  probably  the  most 
satisfactory  of  all  cruising  arrangements  so  far  devised.  In  this 
craft  a  sail  can  be  improvised  at  any  time  from  a  poncho,  a 
blanket,  or  even  a  bush  cut  for  the  purpose  and  thrown  away 
when  its  usefulness  is  over. 

The  best  canoe  for  cruising  will  depend  upon  the  waters  to 
be  traversed,  bearing  in  mind  the  suggestions  already  made. 
For  general,  all-round  cruising  on  lakes  and  rivers  having  not 
very  much  fast  water,  and  for  use  in  between  cruises  for  every- 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  U 

day  purposes,  a  seventeen- foot  open  canoe  is  recommended, 
canvas  covered,  with  a  stern  seat  and  no  bow  seat,  full  at  bow 
and  stern,  rather  flat  of  floor,  with  a  very  shallow  keel.  For 
cruising,  where  one  man  or  two  men  have  to  carry  the  canoe 
occasionally,  the  weight  of  the  canoe  ought  not  to  exceed 
seventy  pounds.  It  will  weigh  more  as  it  gets  more  or  less 
water-soaked  and  as  paint  is  added. 

Such  a  canoe  is  adapted  to  almost  any  water  to  be  found  on 
this  continent,  except  knocking  about  in  rough  ocean  waves. 
This  is  the  sort  of  canoe  in  which  such  cruises  as  that  of 
the  ill-fated  Leonidas  Hubbard  and  later  his  widow  and  Dillon 
Wallace,  also  the  equally  remarkable  cruises  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lawrence  Tasker,  of  Philadelphia,  over  the  trackless  and  un- 
charted waterways  of  Labrador  were  made.  In  at  least  one 
case,  however,  an  eighteen-foot  model  was  used,  and  this  latter 
size  is  favored  for  the  large  and  boisterous  rivers  of  Canada. 
For  the  cruises  of  Maine  a  seventeen-foot  model  is  ample. 
Where  the  cruise  implies  rapids,  the  keel  should  be  omitted. 

The  railroads  will  transport  such  a  craft,  either  covered  with 
burlap  and  excelsior  or  unwrapped,  and  it  is  rare  indeed  to  find 
that  any  serious  damage  has  been  done  the  canoe  during  its 
overland  journey,  although  it  is  comparatively  frail  and  not  one 
of  the  most  agreeable  things  for  baggage  men  to  handle.  .On 
its  arrival  at  the  railroad  station  where  the  cruise  is  to  |fert, 
wagon  or  cart  or  the  canoeist's  shoulders  transport  it  to  the 
nearby  waters.  At  the  end  of  the  cruise  it  is  shipped  back  to 
home  waters. 

It  is  surprising  that  so  comparatively  small  a  number  of 
American  sportsmen  have  learned  the  joys  of  thus  making  the 
craft  used  at  home  a  vehicle  for  the  enjoyment  of  a  real  cruise. 
In  other  countries  they  know  much  mord  about  it  than  we  do. 
Even  the  staid  Londoners,  making  their  week-end  cruises  among 
the  beautiful  upper  reaches  of  the  Thames,  shipping  their 
canoes  or  punts  from  place  to  place,  probably  do  more  canoe 
cruising  in  a  fortnight  than  New  York  sportsmen  do  in  a  season. 
It  is  by  no  means  as  popular  as  it  deserves  to  be,  this  fine  sport 
of  canoe  cruising.    Begin  it  close  to  your  own  home,  if  you  want 


81  SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC   LIBRARY.  "^ 

to,  whether  that  home  be  in  New  York,  Boston  or  Philadelphia, 
Washington  or  Chicago,  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis,  Portland,  Oregon, 
or  any  of  the  rarely-well  situated  cities  of  the  Dominion,  for 
closer  to  all  of  these  places  than  the  uninformed  would  believe 
are  canoe  cruises  which,  once  tried,  will  be  voted  delightful. 

It  is  impossible  in  this  book  to  enter  into  elaborate  descriptions 
of  the  canoe  cruises  situated  close  to  the  great  American  cities. 
Almost  every  region  has  special  opportunities  awaiting  discovery. 
If  that  be  true  of  the  crowded  and  congested  vicinity  of  New 
York,  it  must  be  true  of  every  other  locality  on  the  continent; 
and  certainly  it  is  true  of  New  York  City. 

With  some  members  of  the  American  Canoe  Association,  the 
writer  shared  a  two-day  cruise  down  the  Ramapo  River,  N.  J., 
starting  at  Suffern,  N.  Y.,  and  ending  at  Mountain  View,  N.  J., 
about  fifty  miles  of  as  fine  little-river  canoeing  as  could  be  asked. 
This  is  a  trip  which  can  only  be  done  early  in  the  season,  while 
the  streams  are  high,  but  at  that  time  it  affords  some  very 
picturesque  rapids,  some  dams  to  shoot,  a  few  wide  and  beautiful 
lakes,  and  any  number  of  absolutely  ideal  camp  sites.  The  start 
is  within  an  hour  of  New  York  and  the  finish  equally  near  the 
big  city,  yet  the  country  through  which  the  cruise  takes  the 
tourist  is  wild  and  rugged. 

There  are  many  other  similar  cruises  close  to  almost  any 
great  city.  Boston  has  a  rare  treat  awaiting  the  canoe  cruiser 
who  essays  the  Charles  River  and  the  Concord  River  trips, 
although  here  wood  fires  will  not  generally  be  permitted,  and 
in  some  cases  the  canoeist  will  have  to  secure  the  privilege  of 
camping  in  the  backyard  of  some  handsome  suburban  estate — 
a  privilege  rarely  denied.  It  is  this  trip  which  takes  the  canoe- 
ist through  the  dramatic,  historic  and  literary  shrines  sacred 
to  the  Minute  Men  of  the  Revolution,  to  Emerson,  Hawthorne, 
Thoreau,  and  scores  of  other  leaders  in  early  American  history 
and  literature.  The  American  Canoe  Association  has  discovered 
and  outlined,  and  in  many  cases  has  mapped,  scores  of  these 
accessible  and  worth-while  cruises,  and  its  generosity  in  sharing 
its  fund  of  information  about  such  trips  is  proverbial.  One 
cruise  with  the  organization,  comprising  a  host  of  good  fellows 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  88 

from  every  walk  of  life  and  representing  every  age  from  youthful 
tyro  to  grizzled  veteran,  will  reveal  to  the  ambitious  devotee 
of  this  fine  sport  that  the  organization  is  admirably  well  equipped 
to  encourage  and  conduct  the  fine  pastime  for  which  it  has  so 
long  stood. 

There  are  a  few  truly  remarkable  canoe  cruises  which  are 
almost  national  in  their  interest.  And  there  are  some  which, 
while  they  are  in  Canada,  are  really  a  part  of  the  canoeing 
education  and  opportunity  of  the  lover  of  the  canoe  from  any 
nation  or  clime.  No  man  who  has  ever  tried  canoe  cruising  as 
a  rest  and  recuperation  from  the  round  of  business  and  social 
exactions  of  the  everyday  world  needs  to  be  told  that  in  no  other 
way  can  health  and  strength  be  so  wonderfully  built  up;  in  no 
other  way  can  nervous  strain  be  so  utterly  forgotten  and  over- 
come; in  no  other  way  can  such  a  fund  of  physical  resource 
be  accumulated  as  in  the  well  selected,  well  planned  and  well 
conducted  canoQ  cruise. 

The  canoe  cruises  of  Maine  imply  the  services  of  a  guide, 
unless  the  cruiser  be  himself  a  resident  of  that  State,  for  Maine 
has  a  law  that  no  non-resident  shall  camp  on  the  wild  land  of 
the  State,  or  build  fires,  unless  he  be  accompanied  by  a  registered 
guide.  This  is  not  so  much  for  the  purpose  of  fostering  the 
guide  business  of  the  State  as  it  is  to  preserve  the  forest  from 
the  fires  which  so  often  follow  in  the  wake  of  the  careless 
camper.  But  as  the  State  law  specifically  provides  that  one  guide 
may  accompany  as  many  as  five  persons,  several  of  the  canoemen 
may  have  the  privilege  of  running  the  rapids  and  fast  water, 
using  their  own  skill.  A  guide,  in  the  first  canoe,  is  often  a  very 
valuable  aid  in  canoe  cruises,  especially  in  truly  dangerous 
waters  or  where  little  opportunity  to  study  the  waters  in  advance 
is  possible. 

Probably  the  most  popular  of  all  canoe  cruises  of  America 
is  what  is  known  as  the  West  Branch  trip  of  Maine,  starting 
at  the  Northeast  Carry  from  the  upper  end  of  Moosehead  Lake 
and  running  generally  in  a  southeasterly  direction  to  Norcross, 
a  station  on  the  Bangor  and  Aroostook  Railroad.  This  is  a 
superb   combination  of   fast  water,   some   daring  rapids,  open 


84  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

lakes,  with  beautiful  camp  sites  and  excellent  fishing  along  the 
way.  It  is  a  total  of  about  eighty  miles  and  can  be  done  hurriedly 
in  a  week,  although  it  is  well  worth  longer  time  for  enjoyment 
of  the  scenic  beauty  and  the  many  wild  creatures  sure  to  be 
met  along  the  way. 

Another  Maine  trip  of  almost  equal  fame  is  the  Allagash 
trip,  which  starts  from  the  same  place,  takes  the  cruiser  over 
two  hundred  miles  of  similar  waters,  through  foaming  rapids 
and  placid  lakes,  amid  much  wild  scenery  and  past  innumer- 
able delightful  camp  sites,  to  the  waters  of  the  St.  John's  River, 
ending  the  cruise  at  Connors,  Fort  Kent  or  Van  Buren.  A 
third  trip  in  the  same  general  region  starts  at  Northeast  Carry, 
Moosehead  Lake,  and  follows  at  first  the  east  branch  of  the 
Penobscot  River,  some  hundred  and  ten  miles,  bringing  out 
at  Wissataquoik  or  Grindstone.  Of  these  three  trips  the  best, 
in  the  judgment  of  the  writer,  is  the  Allagash  trip,  although 
here  again  the  individual  question  of  what  one  seeks  in  a  woods 
cruise  must  make  choice  difficult.  There  are  several  variations 
of  these  trips  possible.  The  popularity  of  this  region  for  canoe 
cruising  can  be  imagined  when  it  is  stated  that  across  the 
Northeast  Carry  from  Moosehead  Lake  there  have  been  carried 
or  portaged  over  five  thousand  canoes  in  a  single  season,  all 
bound  on  one  or  another  of  these  fine  trips. 

There  are  many  fine  trips  in  the  Eastern  States  which  do  not 
require  the  presence  or  the  services  of  a  guide.  One  of  the  best 
of  these  is  the  Connecticut  River  trip,  putting  in  somewhere  in 
the  region  of  West  Stewartstown  or  below,  depending  on  the 
height  of  the  water  and  the  time  of  year  at  which  the  cruise 
is  made,  and  running  as  far,  if  desired,  as  the  Long  Island 
Sound.  This  trip  can  be  done  in  a  week,  but  it  is  better  to 
allow  longer  time.  The  Delaware  River  trip  is  another  which 
is  close  to  the  crowded  eastern  cities  and  which  provides  ample 
excitement  and  variety.  The  American  Canoe  Association  covers 
most  of  the  interesting  section  of  this  river  every  year,  and 
canoemen  from  Philadelphia  make  it  several  times  a  year. 
Detailed  maps  are  available  of  the  whole  distance,  showing  suit- 
able camp  sites,  water  conditions  and  facts  en  route. 


SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC   LIBRABT.  86 

But  Canada,  of  course,  is  the  canoe  cruisers'  paradise  of  the 
world.  Here  are  to  be  found  big  or  little  rivers,  connecting 
waterways  to  and  through  settled  or  unsettled  country,  lakes 
of  all  sizes  and  shapes,  great  freshwater  oceans  which  it  would 
require  many  seasons  for  the  cruiser  to  explore,  while  the  rare 
privilege  of  being  a  real  pioneer,  and  carving  out  one's  own 
salvation,  without  the  compulsory  accompaniment  of  guides,  fur- 
nishes unparalleled  attraction  for  the  ambitious  or  skilled  cruiser. 
The  wildness  of  the  country,  the  innumerable  ideal  camp  sites 
which  flaunt  themselves  in  the  foreground  everywhere,  the 
unrivaled  fishing,  the  abundant  wild  game,  and  the  unusual 
folks  that  the  cruiser  meets,  from  Hudson  Bay  post  factors 
to  real  Indians  of  the  far  north,  render  a  cruise  in  Canada  a 
never-to-be-forgotten  experience. 

For  the  beginner,  or  the  canoeist  who  wishes  easy  work,  there 
are  the  Thousand  Islands  or  the  Rideau  River  trip,  keeping 
him  in  touch  with  civilization,  fresh  supplies  and  large  towns 
all  the  way.  Then,  as  he  becomes  more  confident  of  his  powers, 
there  is  the  absolutely  incomparable  territory  of  either  the  Al- 
gonquin National  Park  or  the  Temagami  Forest  Reserve,  both 
of  which  contain  millions  of  acres  of  wild  land,  great  variety  of 
waterways,  ranging  from  tiny  rivers  and  connecting  "thorough- 
fares" between  lakes  to  great  inland  seas,  which  will  test  every 
resource  of  seamanship,  every  ounce  of  athletic  skill. 

The  canoeing  found  in  these  two  places  is  largely  on  lakes  of 
various  sizes,  connected  either  by  short  carries  over  falls  or 
around  rapids.  There  is  comparatively  little  fast  water  and 
comparatively  few  rapids  to  run,  most  of  the  canoeing  being 
on  still  lakes.  In  both  places  there  are  excellent  starting-off 
hotels  or  resorts,  where  supplies  of  all  kinds  can  be  had  and  to 
which  shipment  of  duffel  or  canoe  can  be  made. 

The  writer  is  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  no  finer  waters  for 
amateur  canoeing  are  to  be  found  in  all  the  world  than  those 
which  are  encompassed  within  the  boundaries  of  Algonquin 
National  Park,  among  the  Highlands  of  Ontario.  Within  the 
confines  of  this  vast  park  there  are  more  than  twelve  hundred 
rivers  and  lakes,  the  altitude  is  more  than  eighteen  hundred  feet 


3B  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBEAEY. 

above  sea  level,  the  fishing  is  magnificent  almost  everywhere  in  the 
park,  including  brook  trout  up  to  three  or  four  pounds,  salmon 
trout  up  to  thirty  pounds,  and  black  bass  up  to  five  pounds,  and 
there  is  almost  no  spot  in  the  whole  reserve  unsuited  to  camping. 
Deer,  beaver,  mink,  otter  and  game  birds  of  all  kinds  are 
abundant,  moose  and  wolves  are  occasionally  noted,  and  the 
two  millions  of  acres  of  the  place  reveal  almost  no  signs  of  the 
presence  of  man. 

Of  the  best  river  cruises  in  Canada  probably  none  surpasses 
the  Mississauga  River,  which  starts  at  Bisco  station  on  the 
main  line  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  and  runs  to  near 
Desbarats  on  Lake  Superior,  a  distance  of  some  hundred  and 
fifty  miles.  This  is  a  stiff,  difficult  trip  and  at  least  one  guide 
familiar  with  the  deep,  strong  waters  is  needed.  It  is  not  a 
trip  for  the  amateur  without  guides,  and,  so  far  as  the  writer 
is  aware,  has  never  been  run  without  guides  by  any  amateur. 
It  is  a  scenic  trip  of  the  very  finest  character,  furnishing  won- 
derful palisades,  rising  sheer  from  the  canoe  hundreds  of  feet; 
great,  deep,  shadowy  canyons,  through  which  the  canoe  shoots 
at  railroad  speed,  and  some  of  the  wildest  country  within  equal 
distance  of  the  eastern  cities.  There  is  no  way  of  retracing  the 
trip  after  it  is  once  started  and  there  are  practically  no  settle- 
ments or  habitations  along  the  way.  Moose  in  great  numbers 
and  to  enormous  size  are  invariably  seen  along  the  way;  there 
is  good  bass  fishing  in  some  of  the  reaches  of  the  river  and 
brook  trout  are  found  of  great  size  in  the  contributing  streams. 

Another  canoe  cruise  of  incomparable  interest  to  the  angler 
and  lover  of  scenic  beauty  is  the  Nipigon  River,  Ontario,  a  wide, 
powerful  outlet  into(  Lake  Superior  of  the  Nipigon  Lake,  some 
fifty  miles  to  the  north  of  Superior  near  the  little  town  of 
Nipigon.  Here  are  taken  some  of  the  biggest  brook  trout  that 
have  ever  backed  up  the  angler's  tales.  Seven,  eight,  nine  and 
ten  pound  genuine  brook  trout  are  taken  from  this  magnificent 
water,  and  their  fame  has  attracted  patronage  to  the  place  of 
many  distinguished  men  of  the  day.  The  trip  is  started  from 
the  little  trading  station  of  Nipigon,  on  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway,  and   the  cruiser  works  upstream  forty  miles  to  the 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBART.  97 

lake.  It  is  one  of  the  mostj  luxurious  canoe  trips  on  the  con- 
tinent. The  guides  carry  folding  furniture,  china  butter  dishes, 
and  other  evidences  of  effete  civilization  generally  considered  so 
incompatible  with  the  woods.  The  river  is  strong  and  danger- 
ous in  places,  but  there  is  no  doubt  that  itsi  dane-ers  are  much 
exaggerated  by  the  local  guides.  Guides  are  almost  invariably 
employed  on  this  trip,  and  the  canoes  used  are  the  big  twenty- 
foot  lifeboat  affairs  which  the  Hudson's  Bay  people  have  been 
using  for  load  carrying  for  many  years.  One  canoe  carries 
two  guides,  two  sportsmen  and  their  entire  outfit  and  duffel 
for  a  month's  cruise. 

Many  canoe  cruisers  want  waters  free  from  carries.  To  such 
there  can  confidently  be  recommended  the  superb  Grand  Lakes 
of  Washington  County,  Maine,  or  the  Square  Lake  and  Eagle 
Lake  region  of  Aroostook  County,  Maine.  In  either  of  these 
trips  there  will  be  found  nearly  a  hundred  miles  of  magnificent 
canoe  cruising  territory  with  practically  no  carries  at  all.  The 
Washington  County  region  is  the  home  of  the  far-famed  ouan- 
aniche,  a  species  of  landlocked  salmon,  which  for  gaminess  is 
unbeaten  among  the  best  of  fresh  water  fishes.  The  start  of 
this  trip  would  be  from  Princeton,  on  the  Maine  Central  Rail- 
road, or  from  Grand  Lake  Stream  village,  where  are  located 
some  charming  camps.  The  lakes  and  connecting  waterways 
are  among  the  most  beautiful  in  the  State,  and  the  fishing  has 
attracted  men  from  all  over  the  world.  The  Square  Lake  and 
Eagle  Lake  waters  are  reached  from  Square  Lake  station,  on 
the  Bangor  and  Aroostook  Railroad,  or  from  Portage  station. 
Brook  trout  to  great  size,  as  well  as  magnificent  catches  of  land- 
locked salmon,  with  occasional  visits  from  deer  and  moose,  are 
part  of  the  attractions  of  this  fine  country. 


SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC   LIBRABY. 


EQUIPMENT  FOR  CANOE  CRUISING 

The  seeker  after  canoe  cruising  joys  must  make  careful  pre- 
parations or  his  pleasures  will  be  much  curtailed.  The  difference 
between  success  or  failure  on  a  canoe  cruise  may  sometimes  be 
the  simple  matter  of  anticipating  rain  or  even  the  lack  of  pro- 
vision for  comfortable  rest  at  night.  Many  a  fine  trip  has  been 
spoiled  for  want  of  thought  about  matters,  which,  while  they 
may  be  neglected  for  a  day  or  even  several  days,  spell  unmeas- 
ured misery  if  too  long  continued. 

The  canoe  itself  has  been  described  with  reasonable  detail 
elsewhere.  Next  in  importance  comes  the  roof  overhead,  gen- 
erally of  waterproof  duck  or  so-called  silk.  Its  shape  is  largely 
personal.  One  man  wants  plenty  of  head-room  when  he  stands 
up.  Another  simply  wants  a  low  shelter  over  his  bedding,  con- 
tent to  spend  most  of  his  time  outdoors.  These  two  men  would 
greatly  differ  as  to  the  best  shape  and  style  of  tent.  One  would 
swear  by  a  certain  pattern ;  the  other  would  swear  at  it.  Let  us 
grant  every  mian  his  right  to  what  he  wants,  provided  he  is 
willing  to  carry  it  without  complaint  and  does  not  force  us  to 
agree  with  him  that  it  is  the  only  right  thing. 

Among  the  canoe  tents  used  on  short  cruises  near  to  big 
cities  the  palmetto  tent  has  large  popularity.  But  the  writer 
has  never  seeii  one  on  any  serious,  extended  trip  in  the  Adiron- 
dacks,  Maine  or  Canada,  which  would  seem  to  indicate  that  they 
are  used  just  where  they  are  most  useful,  and  that  for  the  real 
woods  something  else  is  better.  There  is  the  new  "umbrella" 
variety  of  this  tent  which  embodies  many  of  the  advantages  of 
tents  of  the  pattern  referred  to  and  much  improves  upon  them 
in  its  superior  lightness.  This  tent  is  an  actual  umbrella,  extra 
large  and  strong,  set  in  jointed  pole,  and  over  which  a  water- 
proof tent  is  drawn  and  pegged  down. 

In  real  usefulness  to  the  cruising  canoeist,  seeking  some  head- 
room, large  ground  area,  light  weight  and  ease  of  manipulation 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  89 

as  well  as  real  protection  from  the  elements,  there  is  nothing 
superior  to  the  so-called  canoe  one  pole  or  poleless  tent.  It  can 
be  rigged  from  a  limb  of  a  tree,  or  with  one  light  pole  carried 
or  cut  on  the  spot,  has  a  wall  at  the  back,  rounded  front  which, 
when  pegged  down,  holds  it  tight  against  wind  even  without  guy 
rope,  can  be  quickly  set  up  and  taken  down  and  weighs,  in  size 
large  enough  for  two  or  three  men  and  their  duffel,  less  than 
ten  pounds  when  made  of  any  of  the  up-to-date  materials. 

Another  excellent  pattern  is  the  camp  fire  improvement  on 
the  famous  old  "Baker"  tent,  which  consists  of  the  old  style 
"Baker"  tent  with  the  front  flap  starting  from  a  drop  of  a  foot 
below  the  peak,  thus  leaving  headroom  which  is  protected  all 
the  time,  reducing  the  opportunity  for  rain  beating  into  the  tent 
and  lowering  the  awning  or  flap.  This  is  a  very  practical  tent 
and,  no  doubt,  will  come  into  large  favor  among  outdoor  folks. 

Decidedly  lighter  than  any  other  tent  of  equal  capacity  and 
usefulness  and  admirable  in  its  many  original  features  is  the 
"Forester"  tent,  devised  by  the  editor  of  a  well-known  sporting 
magazine.  Few  new  items  of  the  woods  life  have  so  rapidly 
won  a  leading  place  among  critical  experts.  This  tent  has  all 
the  good  points  of  a  reflector  tent.  A  fire  can  be  built  close  to 
it  if  necessary  for  comfort  or  drying  out;  it  can  be  quickly 
erected  with  either  three  poles  or  eveii  with  one  rope  from  a 
tree,  under  its  ridge  to  the  ground,  it  has  greatest  headroom 
at  widest  point,  and  its  weight  in  ample  size  for  two  persons 
and  duffel  is  little  over  three  pounds.  In  country  where  poles 
may  be  had  for  the  stroke  of  the  axe,  this  is  an  ideal  canoe 
cruising  tent.  A  recent  improvement  consists  of  a  flap  or  cur- 
tain at  the  top  which  can  be  let  down  in  bad  weather. 

The  old  "A"  tent,  with  straight  sides  and  rectangular  in 
ground  plan,  is  still  popular  among  some,  but  its  vogue  has 
been  much  lessened  by  the  improvement  in  it  known  as  the 
^'Hudson  Bay"  tent,  which  has  shorter  ridge  and  curved  front 
and  back.  As  can  be  seen,  this  latter  form  of  tent  can  be  adapted 
to  almost  any  shape  and  has  many  good  features. 

There  are  several  excellent  materials  out  of  which  the  modern 
tent  is  made.     Canvas,  duck,  or  khaki  is  almost  obsolete  among 


40  SPALDINGPS    ATHLETIC    LIBRAET. 

experienced  campers ;  it  is  bulky,  heavy,  holds  water  and  moist- 
ure, mildews  quickly  and  rarely  remains  waterproof,  even  if 
thoroughly  so  when  first  made.  There  are  other  materials  con- 
sisting, for  the  most  part,  of  very  closely  woven  cotton  fabric, 
which  far  surpass  the  old  duck  tents  in  every  respect,  even 
including  cost,  if  the  cost  be  divided,  as  it  should  be,  over  the 
years.  Some  of  these  materials,  while  the  same  identical  cloth 
in  the  trade,  are  given  fanciful  names  by  the  tent  manufacturers. 
The  so-called  balloon  silk  is  not  silk  and  is  not  used  in  balloons. 
Perhaps  that  is  the  reason  it  is  called  balloon  silk.  Egyptian 
cloth,  dryki,  tanalite,  balloon  silk,  each  has  its  enthusiastic 
champions.  Personally,  the  writer^  is  strongly  convinced  of  the 
superior  worth  of  the  material  called  balloon  silk,  especially 
when  waterproofing  is  done  with  paraffin.  He  has  several  tents 
of  this  material  and  treatment  which  are  ten  years  old,  have 
been  several  times  across  the  continent  on  extended  outing  trips, 
used  for  months  at  a  time,  in  temperatures  ranging  from  one 
hundred  and  ten  above  to  forty  below  zero,  and  these  tents  are 
as  waterproof  and  serviceable  as  on  the  day  they  were  bought. 
There  is  very  little  difference  between  the  weight  of  tents  water- 
proofed by  any  of  the  other  processes  and  those  which  have 
been  paraffined ;  repairs  can  be  made  instantly  with  a  bit  of  thin 
cotton  and  a  small  cake  of  paraffin;  the  waterproofing  treat- 
ment seems  to  render  them  more  impervious  to  moisture  when 
rolled  up  wet  than  any  other  treatment.  The  paraffin  increases 
the  tensile  strength  of  the  material  more  than  any  other  water- 
proofing process.  Scientific  experiments  have  demonstrated  that 
tan  color  is  repellent  to  insects ;  white  tents  have  a  glare  in  the 
early  morning  which  helps  to  wake  lazy  folks,  and  green  is  the 
coolest  color.  There  is  choice  for  all  who  have  color  preferences. 
Tent  poles  may  be  carried  by  the  fastidious  or  in  regions  where 
the  privilege  of  cutting  them  is  denied,  and  tent  pegs,  made  of 
thin,  bent  iron,  are  well  worth  carrying  if  the  region  is  bare 
of  much  wood  or  if  time  is  an  object.  Even  in  extended  Cana- 
dian cruises,  in  wild  country,  the  writer  always  carries  a  few 
metal  tent  pegs.  They  have  served  more  than  once  to  cheat 
the  coming  storm  when  camp  had  to  be  made  in  a  hurry  or  when 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRABT.  41 

night  was  fast  falling.  Tent  rope  slides  are  practically  unknown 
in  light  canoe  cruising  and,  if  the  tent  is  rigged  right,  have  little 
place  in  any  camp.  Get  as  far  away  as  you  can  from  all  these 
bungly,  time-consuming  and  temper-provoking  knickknacks. 

Bedding  will  consist  of  boughs,  if  you  know  the  charm  of  them 
and  know  how  to  make  them  into  a  bed.  If  you  do  not,  carry 
a  pneumatic  mattress,  crib  size,  a  sleeping  pocket  if  you  are 
very  luxury  loving.  Or  carry  a  couple  of  12  by  20  inch  pneumatic 
cushions,  which,  laid  end  to  end,  make  a  very  comfortable  bed 
on  rough  ground.  The  camp  mattress  of  quilted  Texas  cotton 
is  new  and  good.  Sleeping  bags  are  the  invariable  equipment  of 
the  wise  canoe  cruiser  and  camper.  The  simplest  bag  is,  for 
that  reason  and  for  others,  the  best.  A  heavy,  bulky,  water- 
proof cover  is  unnecessary  if  you  put  the  sleeping  bag  in  a 
waterproof  duffel  bag,  as  you  should.  Every  sleeping  bag  ought 
to  have  a  hood.  A  clever  design  recently  introduced  has  a  hood 
and  is  made  of  llama  wool,  the  lightest  thing  for  its  warmth  so 
far  adapted  to  sleeping  bags.  As  an  auxiliary  aid  to  keeping 
warm  there  are  paper  blankets,  which  the  writer  has  been  using 
for  years.  One  of  them,  between  wool  coverings,  adds  wonder- 
fully to  comfort  and  nothing  to  the  pack. 

For  cruising  about  near  big  cities  or  for  week-end  trips,  so 
rapidly  coming  into  popularity  in  this  country  and  Canada,  a  few 
pieces  of  the  ingenious  folding  furniture  will  be  found  useful 
if  not  almost  indispensable.  In  the  deep  woods,  of  course,  the 
cruiser  at  all  handy  with  his  axe  makes  all  sorts  of  seats  and 
tables  and  benches,  but  in  the  suburbs  of  great  cities  these 
things  would  better  be  taken  in  the  outfit  rather  than  improvised 
on  the  spot.  The  extended  cruises  of  the  real  woods,  with  their 
frequent  and  sometimes  long  and  hard  portages,  render  the 
carrying  of  every  extra  ounce  of  debatable  question ;  but  in  sight 
of  civilization,  or  where  there  are  practically  no  portages,  a  bit 
of  compact  folding  furniture  is  often  well  worth  its  weight  and 
the  space  it  occupies. 

Folding  c^s,  for  those  exquisites  who  use  cots  at  all  in  the 
outdoor  life,  are  the  most  compact  and  comfortable  things  of 
their  kind  so   far   discovered.     Folding  chairs,   two   of   them 


It  SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRARY. 

especially  being  noteworthy  among  aids  to  comfortable  camping, 
are  a  folding  camp  chair,  consisting  of  a  back  and  legs  which 
fold  to  one  piece  and  a  canvas  cover  which  forms  back  and  seat, 
and  a  camp  fire  chair  which  has  seat  and  back  of  canvas  set 
into  a  group  of  wooden  pieces  forming  legs,  arms  and  back. 
The  latter  chair,  known  to  every  traveler  in  England,  and  among 
the  armies  of  Europe,  is  generally  regarded  as  the  most  perfect 
chair  of  its  kind  so  far  devised.  It  is  marvelously  comfortable, 
practically  indestructible,  knocks  down  to  go  into  a  bag  twenty- 
five  inches  long  by  six  inches  in  diameter,  and  weighs  about 
fifteen  pounds.  There  are  also  folding  tables,  roll  top  camp 
tables,  reclining  chairs,  folding  cupboards  or  shelves,  and  other 
clever  and  useful  inventions.  The  United  States  Army  has  used 
many  of  these  contrivances,  and  thus  demonstrated  their  useful- 
ness to  the  campers  of  the  world.  Folding  canvas  buckets  and 
pails  are  important  items  of  the  equipment. 

Near  civilization,  or  wher^  no  fires  may  be  built,  a  kerosene 
vapor  camp  stove  is  the  best  thing  of  the  kind.  Its  flame  is 
kerosene,  heated  to  a  gas.  It  carries  enough  oil  to  burn  nearly 
ten  hours  and  the  weight  of  the  stove  is  less  than  four  pounds. 
There  are  places  where  wood  is  scarce  or  where  fires  of  any 
other  kind  are  not  permitted ;  there  this  stove  is  an  absolute  neces- 
sity. It  is  also  sold  with  a  case,  which  carries  the  various  parts 
of  the  stove,  taken  down,  and  an  extra  supply  of  oil. 

Where  firewood  is  plentiful,  one  of  the  most  useful  tricks  the 
cruiser  can  have  with  him  is  either  a  camp  broiler  or  a  similar 
device  of  larger  size.  The  device  consists  of  a  set  of  strong 
steel  rods  formed  into  a  camp  grate  or  broiler,  with  pointed 
rods  at  the  ends  or  corners  which  are  stuck  into  the  ground, 
under  the  grate  the  camp  fire  is  built.  It  is  the  best  of  all 
portable  stoves. 

There  are  various  one-man  kits,  made  largely  for  army  use, 
but  few  of  them  are  really  adapted  to  the  cruising  canoeist. 
But  a  mess-kit,  made  in  aluminum,  is  excellent  and  will  serve 
more  than  one  person  very  comfortably.  In  cooking  utensils, 
aluminum  is  much  the  best  ware,  from  every  standpoint.  It  is 
extremely  light,  does  not  burn  the  food  as  does  steel  or  iron,  and 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  48 

is  very  economical  considering  its  wearing  qualities.  The  only 
article  of  the  cooking  kit  which  should  invariably  be  of  steel 
is  the  frying  pan. 

In  foods,  the  canoe  cruiser  of  to-day  has  wonderful  variety. 
Dehydrated  vegetables  are  a  rare  addition  to  the  food  supply  of 
the  camper  who  essays  wilderness  travel,  for  nothing  is  more 
important  nor  more  difficult  to  obtain  in  the  deep  woods  than 
fresh  vegetables,  and  any  man  who  has  portaged  fifty  pounds  of 
bulky  fresh  potatoes  will  welcome  the  new  form  in  which  they 
can  now  be  obtained.  The  highly  concentrated  nature  of  these 
dehydrated  vegetables  can  be  imagined  when  it  is  stated  that 
eighteen  pounds  of  fresh  spinach  is  compacted  down,  by  the 
mere  extraction  of  the  natural  moisture  of  the  plant,  to  one 
pound  in  weight. 

Powdered  eggs  and  powdered  milk  have  been  a  ration  on  the 
battleships  of  the  United  States  for  years.  Both  are  admirably 
adapted  to  the  cruising  canoeist's  needs.  With  the  egg  powder 
one  can  make  almost  everything  but  poached  eggs;  omelettes 
which  delight  the  epicure  are  easy.  The  milk  takes  the  place 
of  the  fresh  article,  although  it  is  always  the  custom  of  the 
writer  to  take  along  some  condensed  milk  and  evaporated  cream 
for  coffee,  etc.  In  sweets,  the  best  form  is  maple  sugar  in  cakes 
or  large  tins,  not  in  syrup.  The  outdoor  life  seems  to  necessitate 
an  increased  quantity  of  sweets. 

Among  the  real  foods  for  the  canoeist  few  stand  higher  than 
the  now  famous  army  ration,  served  to  the  German  soldiers. 
It  consists  of  pea  meal,  marrow,  bacon  and  vegetables  in  the 
form  of  a  powder  and  wrapped  in  a  sort  of  sausage  skin.  When 
made  into  a  soup  or  cake  it  is  the  most  nourishing  thing  of  its 
kind  known  to  the  armies  of  the  world.  Other  excellent  soups  in 
powdered  form  are  imported  in  large  quantities  into  this  country. 
Beef  cubes  are  excellent  and  very  compact,*  cornmeal  ought  to 
be  among  the  rations  of  every  canoeist  who  plans  to  do  any 
baking  at  all  in  the  woods ;  beans  can  be  taken  in  cans,  but  much 
more  delicioui?  beans  can  be  baked  by  anybody  in  the  regulation 
lumberman's  bean-hole;  while  baking  excellent  bread  and  fish, 
and  even  cake,  in  one  of  the  aluminum  reflector  ovens  is  easier 


M  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRABT. 

than  any  amateur  who  has  not  tried  it  would  imagine.  Bacon, 
wrapped  in  oiled  paper,  rice,  raisins,  apricots,  shelled  nuts,  tea, 
coffee,  cocoa,  pineapple,  cheese,  spaghetti,  and  a  couple  of  cans  of 
kippered  herring  and  corned  beef,  the  latter  for  hash,  with  a 
good  supply  of  various  dehydrated  vegetables — ^thers  may  be 
some  suggestions  in  these  items  from  the  writer's  list  for  the 
inexperienced  cruiser. 

For  clothing  and  weather  protection,  wool  from  the  skin  out 
is  best,  and  for  rainy  weather  there  is  nothing  better  than  oil- 
skins, especially  the  kind  which  has  an  air-pocket  around  the 
breast  of  the  coat,  forming,  with  a  few  breaths  of  air,  a  genuine 
life-preserver.  Ponchos,  now  regarded  as  an  indispensable  part 
of  every  cruising  outfit,  should  be  made  of  material  which  the 
United  States  Government  has  recently  adopted  for  the  use  of  its 
troops.  It  is  the  lightest  and  most  perfectly  waterproof  material 
so  far  devised — that  the  writer  can  testify,  for  he  lived  under  it 
fifty-two  rainy  days  out  of  a  canoe  cruise  of  sixty  days. 

A  heavy  sweater  or  Mackinaw  coat,  the  gaudier  the  better,  will 
be  useful  in  almost  any  camp  trip  covering  latitude  north  bf 
New  York  City,  during  even  the  midsummer.  Nothing  is  more 
picturesque  than  the  clothing  which  is  now  permitted  in  outdoor 
life;  let  not  the  ultra-conservative  restrain  natural  instincts  for 
bright  color  and  striking  pattern. 

For  footwear,  the  canoeist  should  have  light,  flexible  sole 
moccasins ;  single  bottom  if  his  feet  are  hardy,  and  double  bottom 
if  they  are  sensitive.  The  famous  new  hunting  shoe,  with  bottom 
of  rubber,  no  heel,  and  top  of  soft  leather,  is  the  ideal  canoe  shoe 
for  long  cruising  or  where  damp  weather  or  swampy  country  is 
liable  to  be  met.  Heavy  wool  socks,  wrapped  over  the  turned 
trousers,  which  may  be  either  long  or  riding  breeches  style,  is 
the  right  rig.  For  summer,  or  as  weather  protection,  the  water- 
proof outing  clothing,  made  into  coats  and  trousers,  are  excellent. 
Do  not  accept  the  parrot  talk  of  experts  who  camp  mostly  in 
Morris  chairs  when  they  advise  "any  old  suit"  for  camping.  You 
are  very  likely  to  have  to  sew  brown  canvas  b(i'3oms  on  your 
trousers;  the  dogs  of  every  town  will  mistake  you  for  a  tramp 
and  act  accordingly;  even  the  scarecrows  may  flap  their  limp 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIO    LIBRAEY.  45 

hands  at  your  brotherly  appearance.  Nature  is  fair  and  beauti- 
ful ;  be  garbed  like  a  gentleman  when  you  are  about  to  be  intro- 
duced to  her. 

A  few  little  cruising  tricks  and  trinkets  are  worth  mentioning. 
The  wonderfully  ingenious  aluminum  folding  lantern,  nine  ounces 
in  weight,  burning  government  compressed  candles,  is  one;  shun 
the  oil  lamp  as  a  sure  sign  of  the  beginner  and  the  uninformed. 
An  acetylene  lamp,  large  size,  is  the  best  light  for  serious  use, 
and  implies  less  weight  to  strength  and  duration  of  light  so  far 
discovered  by  campers ;  it  is  excellent  for  sneaking  up  on  deer 
or  other  wild  creatures  to  get  flashlights.  A  gun  known  as  the 
game-getter  is  the  one  firearm  for  the  canoe  cruiser;  it  shoots 
shot  or  bullet  and  folds  to  revolver  size.  A  compass  which 
pins  to  the  coat  is  the  best  of  its  kind,  and  a  camp  hatchet  with 
a  folding  sheath  is  unrivalled  as  canoe  steel.  Leave  the  hand- 
some, expensive  gold  watch  and  the  foreign  binoculars  at  home. 
Take  instead  a  watch  costing  a  dollar  or  two  only  and  a  pawn 
shop  pair  of  opera  glasses.  The  former  will  tell  you  all  you 
need  to  know  of  the  progress  of  the  hours;  it  is  also  a  compass, 
if  you  know  how  to  use  it,  and  the  latter  is  the  best  thing 
in  the  world  for  studying  the  birds,  finding  lost  portages  or 
companions  and  spying  out  Nature's  secrets.  A  first-aid  kit  is 
wise  insurance.  They  are  made  in  various  sizes  and  weights. 
But  Nature  is  the  real  doctor  for  all  the  ills  that  afflict  man- 
kind, and  it  is  rare  indeed  that  the  woods  life  furnishes  need 
of  cure  for  anything  more  serious  than  sunburn,  bruises  or 
overeating. 

The  United  States  Geological  Survey  maps  are  excellent  for 
many  of  the  best  cruises  in  the  United  States.  For  some  of  the 
most  popular  ones  blue-print  maps  of  details  important  to 
canoeists  are  to  be  had  from  the  American  Canoe  Association. 
In  Canada  the  different  Provincial  governments  furnlsK  excellent 
maps  of  some  of  the  parks.  In  addition  to  which  a  firm  of 
Toronto  outfitters  for  canoe  cruisers  and  •  mpers  have  a  large 
assortment^  of  excellent  blue-print  maps  of  the  best  cruises  as 
well  as  printed  books  describing  them,  which  are  almost  invalu- 
able to  the  stranger  traversing  the  wild  country  of  Ontario. 


SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRARY. 


THE   AMERICAN    CANOE  ASSOCIATION. 

ETC. 


No  reference  to  canoeing  would  be  complete  without  a  word 
concerning  the  American  Canoe  Association,  which  has  for 
many  years  stood  as  the  special  representative  of  the  sport 
in  this  country,  and  which  is  at  this  time  the  leading  canoeing 
organization  of  the  country  and,  probably,  of  the   world. 

The  organization  came  into  being  in  August,  1880,  when 
twenty-three  charter  members,  many  of  them  men  prominent  in 
diverse  lines  of  affairs,  and  representing  many  sections  of  the 
United  States,  met  at  Lake  George  and  adopted  a  constitution 
and  rules  for  management  of  canoeing  affairs  which  have  re- 
mained almost  unchanged  to  this  day.  This  was  not  the  first 
American  canoe  club,  however,  the  New  York  Canoe  Club, 
founded  in  1870-71,  having  preceded  it  by  a  decade,  and  the 
New  York  Canoe  Club  is  still  alive  and  flourishing. 

But  there  is  probably  no  canoe  organization  in  the  world 
which  has  done  more  to  foster  the  sport  of  canoeing,  in  all  its 
various  phases,  than  the  American  Canoe  Association,  nor  per- 
haps any  club  in  any  department  of  outdoor  sport  which  con- 
tains such  a  wide  range  of  membership,  representing  every  walk 
of  life  and  every  sort  of  business,  professional  and  artistic 
employment.  In  this  one  respect  alone  it  is  a  splendid  model 
of  the  democracy  of  American  sport,  where,  on  a  common 
footing,  meet  lovers  of  a  special  sport  from  every  rank  in  life 
and  every  level  of  financial  standing. 

The  membership  of  the  American  Canoe  Association  is  formed 
of  individuals  and  clubs,  but  every  member  has  an  individual 
number.  The  present  membership  is  about  fifteen  hundred, 
divided  among  five  divisions  of  the  Association,  aj^  follows: 
Atlantic,  Central,  Eastern,  Northern  and  Western.  The  Com- 
modore is   Payne  L.   Kretzmer,  541   West   149th   Street,   New 


SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC   LIBRARY.  47 

York  City;  the  Secretary  is  Louis  Reichert,  73  Nass&u  Street, 
New  York  City,  and  the  Treasurer  is  Samuel  B.  Burnham, 
P.  O.  Box  2S,  Providence,  R.  I.  Each  division  has  its  own 
Vice-Commodore,  Rear  Commodore,  Purser  and  Executive 
Committee,  and  is  fully  in  charge  of  its  own  internal  affairs. 
There  is  a  Board  of  Governors  of  the  Association,  consisting  of 
a  representative  from  each  division,  and  there  is  a  Racing 
Board,  consisting  of  two  or  more  representatives,  according 
to  membership  in  the  division.  There  are  many  committees, 
a  Camp  Surgeon,  Camp  Forester,  Historian,  and  Custodian  and 
Superintendent  of  Sugar  Island  among  the  Thousarr^~TsIands, 
whereon  has  been  held  for  several  years  the  annual  meet  of 
the  Association. 

/  The  Association  owns  Sugar  Island,  situated  in  the  Canadian 

/channel,  near  Gananoque,  Ontario,  and,  by  provision  of  three 

/  deceased  members,  has  the  right  to  the  exclusive  use  of  three 

(     beautiful  islands  in  Lake  George,  N.  Y.,  also  the  privilege  of 

V  camping   upon  Jupiter   Island   in   Stony   Island   Lake,   Canada, 

whereon  are  situated  the  summer  residences  of  two  members 

of  the  Association. 

But  it  is  not  so  much  in  the  tangible  assets  of  the  Association 
that  its  value  to  canoeists  is  revealed  as  by  the  fostering  spirit 
which  it  has  so  long  exercised  over  the  sport.  This  is  shown  in 
the  annual  cruises  which  are  arranged  by  its  various  divisions 
along  and  through  nearby  waters,  or  its  annual  meet  held  in 
midsummer,  to  all  of  which  events  it  extends  courteous  and 
generous  hospitality,  even  to  non-members  and  unattached 
canoeists.  With  no  attempt  to  autocratic  supervision  over  this 
fine  sport,  the  Association  nevertheless  exercises  real  authority 
by  reason  of  its  age,  its  recognized  leadership  in  the  sport,  the 
unusually  high  standards  which  it  maintains  and  enforces,  and 
the  splendid  personnel  of  its  membership. 

The  word  leadership  represents  the  true  service  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, not  the  word  control,  which  is  so  often  used  by  care- 
less writerffe  on  sport,  and  which  latter  word  is  abhorrent  to  the 
whole  spirit  of  democracy.  Probably  few  great  organizations 
in  the  world  of  outdoor  sport  have  such  little  interest  in  exercis- 


48  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

ing  authority  and  such  real  interest  in  developing  the  broader 
and  more  wholesome  phases  of  the  pastimes  for  which  the 
organization  stands. 

Nevertheless  the  whole  realm  of  canoe  racing,  either  where 
the  propulsion  is  by  paddle  or  sail,  is  entirely  in  the  hands 
of  the  American  Canoe  Association;  its  standards  are  accepted 
all  over  the  world,  and  its  records  are  part  of  the  history  of 
the  sport,  received  without  question  everywhere.  There  has 
never  been  suggestion  of  taint  or  suspicion  in  any  department 
of  its  affairs,  which  speaks  volumes  foi:  the  splendid  standards 
maintained  by  the  organization  for  over  thirty  years.  With 
the  tremendous  increase  in  the  sport  of  canoeing  all  over  the 
world,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  organization  will  find  that 
larger  measure  of  support  to  which  it  is  so  fully  entitled. 

The  cost  of  membership  in  the  American  Canoe  Association 
is  two  dollars  for  the  first  year,  one  dollar  being  initiation  fee 
and  one  dollar  the  first  year's  dues,  after  which  the  Annual  dues 
are  one  dollar.  The  Association  publishes  a  ,y_ear-book  which 
is  the  best  comprehensive  review  of  the  sport  of"  canoeing 
issued  in  this  country;  makes  special  arrangements  for  freight- 
cars,  etc.,  at  cruises  and  meets ;  secures  concessions  and  special 
rates  of  various  kinds,  and  provides  an  interchange  for 
canoeing  experiences  which,  as  every  lover  of -the  woods  and 
waters  knows,  enables  the  cruiser  to  live  the  pleasures  all  over 
again  in  their  telling. 

There  are  practically  few  rules  for  the  cruising  canoeist; 
those  which  the  Association  has  adopted  for  the  guidance  of 
racing  events,  either  with  paddle  or  sail,  are  incorporated 
herewith,  since  they  may  be  of  real  assistance  to  those  who 
wish  to  conduct  events   in  proper  fashion. 


■:Nq.22..  "»-•-"-••      ,      0-;.-^.2A^ 

1,  Sleeping  pocket;  2,  Compass  and  pih;"3,  famp'irfg  mattres^;' 4*  5', '6, ' 
Folding  camp  furniture;  7,  Sleeping  bag;  8,  Folding  baker;  9,  Folding 
canvas  cupboard;  10,  Vacuum  bottle;  11,  Waterproof  matchbox;  12,  13, 
14,  15,  Canvas  water  pails;  16,  Army  kit;  17,  Axe  with  folding  guard; 
18,  First  aid  kit;  19,  Metal  tent  peg;  20,  Folding  lantern;  21,  Kerosene 
stove;  22,  Folding  grate;   23,   Cook  kit;   24,  Folding  baker,   canvas  case. 


Excellent  paddling  position. 


Twist  of  upper  wrist  at  end 
of  paddling  stroke. 


Running  rapids  with  canoe 
pole. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBRAET. 


RACING   REGULATIONS 
OF  THE  AMERICAN  CANOE  ASSOCIATION 


RULE   I. 

Canoe,  Definition  of. — A  canoe  to  be  registered  and  to  com- 
pete in  any  race,  of  the  American  Canoe  Association,  must  be 
sharp  at  both  ends,  without  counterstern  or  transom,  and  must 
come  within  the  limits  prescribed  for  its  class. 

RULE  IL 

Section  i. — Classification. — Canoes  of  the  American  Canoe 
Association  shall  be  divided  into  two  main  classes,  viz. :  Open 
Canoes  and  Decked  Canoes. 

Sec.  2. — Open  canoes  shall  have  not  more  than  3  feet  of  deck 
at  either  end,  nor  more  than  3  inches  of  deck  at  either  side. 

RULE  in. 

Section  i. — Method  of  Measuring. — The  elementary  limitations 
of  a  canoe  shall  be  determined  as  follows:  The  length  shall 
be  taken  between  perpendiculars  at  the  fore  side  of  the  stem  and 
the  after  side  of  the  stern.  The  breadth  of  beam  shall  be 
taken  at  the  widest  part,  wherever  found,  but  it  shall  not  include 
a  beading.  The  words  "breadth  of  beam"  shall  mean  the  breadth 
formed  by  the  fair  lines  of  the  canoe,  and  the  beam  at  and 
near  the  water  line  must  bear  a  reasonable  proportion  to  the 
beam  at  tha  gunwale,  except  paddling  canoes  for  one  and  two 
men.  Racing  Class. 

Sec.  2. — The  depth  shall  be  measured  from  the  Inside  of  the 
garboard  next  the  keel,  to  the  level  of  the  top  of  the  gunwales. 

Sec.  3. — ^The  sail  area  shall  be  the  actual  area,  exclusive  of 
roath  along  spars,  measured  when  the  sail  is  on  the  spars  and 
stretched  taut. 


60  SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC   LIBBABY. 

RULE  IV. 

Section  i. — Dimensions  and  Limitations ,  Decked  Canoes. — The 
length  shall  be  not  more  than  i6  feet ;  the  breadth  of  beam  shall 
be  not  more  than  36  inches,  and  the  depth  shall  be  not  less  than 
10  inches.  The  beam  at  the  water  line,  with  150  lbs.  weight 
aboard,  of  all  canoes  built  after  July  i,  1907,  must  be  at  least 
eighty  per  cent,  of  the  over-all  beam. 

Sec.  2. — The  minimum  weight,  exclusive  of  centerboard,  rud- 
der, steering  gear  and  deck  seats,  shall  be  85  lbs. 

Sec.  3. — Sails. — The  sails  used  in  any  race  shall  not  have  an 
area  of  over  90  square  feet,  of  which  not  more  than  60  square 
feet  shall  be  in  any  one  sail,  and  no  spar  shall  project  more  than 
15  feet  above  the  water  with  crew  on  board  amidship. 

Sec.  4. — No  sail  shall  be  rigged  on  what  is  known  as  hollow 
spars,  except  it  be  a  practical  hoisting,  lowering  and  reefing  rig, 
and  so  used. 

Sec.  5. — Centerboards. — Folding  or  plate  centerboards  may  be 
fitted.    They  must  not,  when  raised,  project  below  the  keel. 

Sec.  6. — A  paddle  at  least  3  feet  long  shall  always  be  carried. 

Sec.  7. — Special  Class. — Maximum  length,  17  feet;  maximum 
beam,  42  inches;  any  excess  of  length  or  beam  to  be  multiplied 
by  five  and  added  to  the  water  line  length  for  rating  purposes. 
No  seat  shall  be  extended  beyond  the  side  of  the  canoe.  L.  W.  L. 
shall  not  be  less  than  12  feet  6  inches,  measured  with  crew 
aboard  in  racing  position.  Minimum  depth  outside  from  top  of 
deck  at  middle  line  to  underside  of  garboard,  taken  anywhere 
up  to  two  feet  from  either  end,  shall  not  be  less  than  12  inches. 
There  shall  be  two  fixed  complete  transverse  wooden  bulkheads, 
which  are  to  be  not  less  than  5  feet  6  inches  nor  more  than  8  feet 
apart,  and  not  more  than  5  feet  from  mid  over  all  length. 
There  shall  be  a  direct  opening  to  the  space  between  these  bulk- 
heads of  not  less  than  16  inches  in  width  for  a  length  of  3  feet. 
The  deck  on  each  side  shall  not  be  less  than  quarter  beam. 
Scantling — Minimum  finished — Plank  %  inch;  Deck,  3-16  inch; 
Bulkheads,  ^  inch.  L.W.L.XSA 

Rating  not  to  exceed  0.25 =R.     In  calculating  the 

6000 


SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRARY.  61 

rating,  the  figures  beyond  the  second  place  of  decimals  shall  be 
ignored.  Sails.— The  certificate  of  rating  shall  be  for  one  rig 
and  suit  of  sails  only,  which  may  include  a  storm  sail  not  exceed- 
ing 75  square  feet  area.  Only  one  certificate  may  be  held  at  a 
time.  The  L.  W.  L.  shall  be  marked  upon  the  canoe  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  official  measurer. 

All  sailing  races  of  the  A.  C.  A.,  except  such  races  for  prizes 
as  are  by  deed  of  gift  defined  as  prizes,  for  i6x  30-inch  class, 
shall  be  open  to  both  classes  of  canoe. 

RULE  V. 

Section  i. — Dimensions  and  Limitations,  Open  Canoes,  Sailing 
and  Cruising  Type,  One  and  Two  Men. — Maximum  length,  18 
feet ;  minimum  beam,  30  inches,  with  an  accompanying  maximum 
length  of  16  feet.  For  each  inch  the  length  is  increased,  the 
beam  must  be  increased  at  least  one-eighth  of  an  inch.  The 
depth  shall  be  not  less  than  10  inches.  The  beam  at  the  water 
line,  with  150  lbs.  weight  aboard,  must  be  at  least  eighty-eight 
per  cent,  of  the  over-all  beam. 

Sec.  2. — Leeboards. — ^Leeboards  may  be  carried,  but  no  rudder 
nor  centerboard. 

Sec.  3. — Seats. — No  seat  shall  extend  beyond  the  side  of  the 
canoe. 

Sec.  4. — Sails. — The  sail  area  shall  be  limited  to  40  square  feet. 

Sec.  5. — Weight. — ^^The  minimum  weight  of  open  canoes  of  this 
class  shall  be  70  lbs. 

Sec.  6. — Keels. — No  keel  nor  fin  shall  project  more  than  ij^ 
inches  below  the  garboards. 

Sec.  7. — Paddles. — A  paddle  at  least  4  feet  6  inches  long  shall 
always  be  carried. 

Sec.  8. — Special  Appliances. — ^No  special  appliance  of  any  kind 
for  holding  the  paddle  for  steering  purposes  shall  be  used. 

RULE  VI. 

Paddling  Canoes  for  Racing,  One  and  Two  Men. — Maximum 
length,  16  feet;  minimum  beam,  30  inches;  minimum  depth,  10 
inches ;  minimum  weight,  50  lbs. 


6S  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

RULE  VII. 

Four  Men, — Maximum  length,  20  feet;  minimum  beam,  30 
inches;  minimum  depth,  12  inches;  minimum  weight,  70  lbs. 

RULE  VIII. 
War  Canoes. — Maximum  length,  30  feet;  minimum  beam,  36 
inches;  minimum  depth,  17  inches;  minimum  weight,  120  lbs. 

RULE  IX. 

Section  i. — Ten  per  cent,  of  the  weight  of  a  canoe  may  be 
made  up  by  ballast. 

Sec.  2. — The  Regatta  Committee  shall  have  power  to  rule  out 
any  canoe  which,  in  their  opinion,  does  not  conform  to  the  spirit 
of  any  of  the  above  restrictions. 

RULE  X. 

Section  i. — Novices. — Novices  at  any  Meet  shall  be  those  who 
have  never  sailed  nor  paddled,  respectively,  a  canoe  in  an  A.  C. 
A.  race  prior  to  September  ist  of  the  preceding  year. 

Sec.  2. — Juniors. — ^Juniors,  in  all  events  but  War  Canoes,  shall 
be  those  who  have  never  won  a  similar  race. 

Juniors  may  compete  in  Senior  races  without  losing  their 
Junior  standing  unless  winning.  Anyone  remaining  a  Junior  in 
one  or  more  classes,  and  who  shall  enter  in  a  class  which  ^he  is 
not  qualified  to  enter,  shall  forfeit  his  Juniorship  in  all  classes. 

Sec.  3. — Crews. — Unless  otherwise  provided  by  the  Regatta 
Committee,  the  crew  in  all  races  shall  consist  of  one  man  only. 

Sec.  4- — No  canoe  shall  be  raced  by  more  than  one  man  at  any 
one  Meet. 

RULE  XL 

Section  i. — Entries,  Who  May  Enter  Races. — None  but  mem- 
bers of  the  American  Canoe  Association,  excepting  those  who 
have  been  invited  by  the  Regatta  Committee  and  accredited 
representatives  of  foreign  clubs,  shall  enter  its  races.  No  mem- 
ber who  has  ever  raced  for  money,  nor  who  is  in  arrears  to 
the  Association,  shall  enter.  No  man  shall  enter  in  any  race  at 
the  general  meet  until  he  has  been  two  days  in  camp,  except 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRAET.  68 

entries  in  events  of  the  Racing  Paddling  Class  as  defined  in 
Rule  VI,  or  by  special  permission  of  the  Regatta  Committee. 
Applicants  for  membership  in  the  Association  shall  not  be  con- 
sidered as  members. 

Sec.  2. — How  Entries  Must  Be  Made. — All  entries  must  be 
made  in  writing,  and  on  the  blanks  provided  for  that  purpose. 
Entries  must  be  delivered  to  the  Regatta  Committee  within  such 
time  as  they  may  direct. 

Sec.  3. — Entry  Numbers, — The  Regatta  Committee  will  provide 
each  man,  when  he  makes  his  entries,  with  three  prints  of  his 
number  on  cloth.  Every  canoe  entering,  except  for  an  upset 
race,  must  have  her  entry  number,  or  other  distinguishing  mark 
satisfactory  to  the  Regatta  Committee,  conspicuously  on  canoe 
or  man  in  paddling  races,  and  on  both  sides  of  the  mainsail  in 
races. 

RULE  XII. 

Section  i. — Prizes,  Number  of  Prises. — A  first  prize  shall  be 
given  in  each  race.  A  second  prize  shall  be  given  in  each  regular 
race  when  more  than  two  finish. 

Sec.  2. — Kind  of  Prizes. — Regular  prizes,  when  possible,  shall 
consist  of  shields,  or  other  lasting  memento  of  the  event,  upon 
which  shall  be  expressed  the  letters  "A.  C.  A.,"  the  year  in 
four  figures,  the  place  of  the  meet  and  the  name  of  the  event, 
with  the  words  "first  prize"  or  "second  prize."  No  prize  of 
money  shall  be  raced  for.  Bunting  flags,  size  2  feet  x  3  feet, 
having  the  letters  "A.  C.  A.,"  the  year  in  numerals  and  the 
initial  "P.,"  "S.,"  "O.  S."  and  "R.,"  respectively,  shall  be  given 
the  winners  of  the  paddling  and  sailing  trophies,  and  the 
"Record,"  in  addition  to  the  regular  prizes. 

Sec.  3. — Special  Prizes. — Special  prizes  may  be  given  at  the 
discretion  of  the  Regatta  Committee. 

RULE  XIII. 
Section  i. — The  Record  Race. — There  shall  be  three  regular 
record  events  forming  the  Record  Race.     No.  I.     Paddling  and 
Sailing  combined,  3  miles;  time  limit  1^4  hours.     No.  2.     Pad- 
dling, H  niil^-    No.  3.    Sailing,  4J^  miles;  time  limit  2j^  hours. 


Bl  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

Sec.  2.— Place  on  the  Record,— To  obtain  a  place  on  the 
"Record"  or  qualify  for  a  prize  in  a  "Record"  event  a  contestant 
must  start  in  all  three  Record  events.  The  first  canoe  to  finish 
in  each  event  shall  receive  as  many  points  as  there  are  starters 
in  the  first  event;  the  second  canoe,  one  less,  and  so  on,  and  in 
addition  the  winner  shall  be  given  a  premium  of  25  per  cent,  of 
the  number  of  starters  in  the  first  event  for  winning;  the  second, 
a  premium  of  15  per  cent,  of  the  same  number,  and  the  third  a 
premium  of  7  per  cent,  of  the  same  number.  The  total  num- 
bers awarded  for  all  three  events,  added  together,  shall  give 
the  credit  number  on  the  "Record."  Any  competitor  not  finish- 
ing a  race  or  who  is  disqualified,  shall  receive  zero  for  that 
event,  but  all  those  finishing  shall  receive  credit  for  beating 
him. 

Sec.  3.— In  the  Record  Race  each  contestant  shall  use  but  one 
canoe. 

Sec.  4.— Regular  Races,— Th^VQ  shall  be  eight  regular  races 
in  addition  to  the  Record  Race. 

1.  The  Paddling  Trophy  Race;  distance,  i  mile. 

2.  The  Decked  Sailing  Trophy  Race;  distance  18  miles  in  3 
heats  of  6  miles  each.  Two  heats  shall  be  on  the  triangle  and 
one  shall  be  over  a  windward  and  leeward  course  of  not  over 

1  mile.  Time  limit  2H  hours  for  each  heat — for  Points  earned 
and  counted  as  provided  for  the  "Record"  in  Sections  2  and  3  of 
this  rule. 

3.  The  "Mab"  Trophy  Race;  distance  7^'  miles.  Time  limit 
3  hours.  The  winner  of  the  Sailing  Trophy  is  debarred  from 
entering  this  race  by  deed  of  gift. 

4.  The  Open  Canoe  Sailing  Trophy  Race;  distance  9  miles  in 
3  heats  of  3  miles  each.  Two  heats  shall  be  on  the  triangle, 
and  one  shall  be  over  a  windward  and  leeward  course  of  not 
over  I  mile.  Time  limit  i^  hours  for  each  heat — for  Points 
earned  and  counted  as  provided  for  the  "Record"  in  Sections 

2  and  3  of  this  rule. 

5.  Paddling  Race;  open  canoes;  single  blade;  one-half  mile. 

6.  Paddling  Race;  open  or  decked  canoes;  double  blades;  one- 
half  mile. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRABT.  66 

7.  Paddling  Race;  tandem;  open  canoes;  single  blades;  one- 
half  mile. 

8.  Paddling  Race;  tandem;  open  or  decked  canoes;  double 
blades;  one-half  mile. 

Sec.  5. — The  Regatta  Committee  may  provide  such  additional 
races  as  they  deem  advisable. 

RULE  XIV. 
The  mode  of  turning  marks,  and  all  directions  for  each  race, 
shall  be  announced  in  the  programme  of  the  Regatta  Com- 
mittee or  posted  on  the  bulletin  board  one  hour  before  the  race 
is  called,  and  any  competitor  not  knowing  the  course,  or  mis- 
taking it,  or  not  following  these  rules,  does  so  at  his  own  risk. 

RULE  XV. 
No  pilotage  or  direction  from  any  boat  or  from  the  shore  will 
be  allowed,  and  anyone  accepting  such  assistance  may  be  dis- 
qualified. 

RULE  XVL 

Officials. — ^For  every  race  there  shall  be  a  Referee,  Starter 
and  three  Judges. 

Duties  of  Officials. 

Referee — The  Jurisdiction  of  the  Referee  extends  over  the 
race,  and  all  matters  connected  with  it  from  the  start  until  its 
final  termination.  Any  competitor  refusing  to  abide  by  the 
decision  or  to  follow  the  direction  of  the  Referee  shall  be 
disqualified. 

Jud£^es— The  Judges  shall  report  to  the  Referee  the  order  in 
which  competing  boats  cross  the  finish  line,  but  the  decision  of 
the  race  shall  rest  with  and  be  declared  by  the  Referee,  subject 
to  appeal  to  the  Racing  Board. 

Starter— It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Starter,  upon  notice  from 
the  Referee,  to  start  the  various  events. 

The  Referee  may  act  as  starter  if  he  desires;  but  when  he 
does  not  so  act  the  Starter  shall  be  subject  to  the  control  of 
the  Referee. 


88  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBBABT. 

PADDLING  RACES. 
RULE  XVIL 

Starting. — Paddling  races  shall  be  started  by  the  Starter  asking 
"Are  you  ready?"  On  receiving  no  answer  he  shall  either  say 
"Go,"  or  fire  a  gun,  or  both.  If  he  considers  the  start  unfair 
he  may  recall  the  canoes  to  their  stations  by  the  firing  of  two 
guns,  and  any  contestant  refusing  to  start  again  shall  be  dis- 
qualified. 

The  combined  sailing  and  paddling  race  shall  be  started  in 
the  same  manner. 

Canoes  shall  be  started  by  their  bows,  and  shall  have  com- 
pleted their  course  when  the  bows  reach  the  finish  line. 

Water — A  canoe's  own  water  is  the  straight  course,  parallel 
with  other  competing  canoes  from  the  station  assigned  it  at 
the  start  to  a  relative  position  on  the  finish  line. 

Each  canoe  shall  keep  its  own  water  throughout  the  race, 
and  any  canoe  departing  from  its  own  water  will  do  so  at  its 
peril. 

The  Referee  shall  be  the  sole  judge  of  a  canoe's  own  water 
and  proper  course  during  the  race. 

Fouls — It  shall  be  considered  a  foul,  when,  after  the  race  has 
commenced,  if  any  competitor,  by  his  paddle,  canoe  or  person, 
comes  in  contact  with  the  paddle,  canoe  or  person  of  another 
competitor;  unless,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Referee,  the  contact 
is  so  slight  as  not  to  influence  the  race. 

The  Referee  may,  during  a  race,  caution  any  competitor  when 
in  danger  of  committing  a  foul. 

In  case  of  a  foul  the  Referee  shall  have  the  power — 

(a)  To  place  the  canoes  (except  the  canoe  committing  the 
foul)  in  the  order  in  which  they  finish. 

(b)  To  order  the  canoes  engaged  in  the  race  (other  than  the 
canoe  committing  the  foul)   to  paddle  the  race  over  again. 

SAILING  RACES. 
RULE  XVIII. 
The  paddle  shall  not  be  used  in  sailing  races,  after  the  starting 
signal,  except  for  steering,  when  no  rudder  is  used,  or  when 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  57 

the  rudder  is  disabled,  or  back  strokes  to  leeward  in  tacking,  or 
shoving  off  when  aground,  afoul  of  anything,  or  in  extrem* 
danger,  as  from  a  passing  steamer  or  from  a  squall. 

RULE  XIX. 
A  canoe  shall  be  amenable  to  the  Racing  Rules  from  the  time 
the  ipreparatory  signal  is  made,  and  shall  continue  so  until  her 
entire  hull  and  spars  have  passed  across  the  finish  line.  After 
crossing  the  finishing  line  a  cauoe  shall  not  interfere  with  any 
canoe  still  in  the  race. 

RULE  XX. 

Start  and  Finish. — The  start  and  finish  shall  be  when  the  bow 
first  crosses  the  line  after  the  starting  signal  has  been  made. 
If  this  point  in  any  canoe  be  across  the  line  when  the  starting 
signal  is  made  she  shall  be  recalled  by  the  Regatta  Committee 
and  must  return  and  start  again. 

A  canoe  so  returning,  or  one  working  into  position  from  the 
wrong  side  of  the  line,  after  the  signal  for  starting  has  been 
made,  must  keep  clear  of  and  give  way  to  all  competitors. 

RULE  XXL 

Starting  Signals.— The  starting  signals  for  all  races  to)  which 
attention  shall  be  called  by  gun  or  whistle  shall  be  as  follows : 

Warning — The  hoisting  of  a  Blue  Flag. 

Preparatory. — Four  minutes  after  the  warning  signal,  the  low- 
ering of  the  Blue  Flag  and  the  hoisting  of  a  Yellow  Flag. 

Start. — One  minute  after  the  preparatory  signal,  the  lowering 
of  the  Yellow  Flag  and  the  hoisting  of  the  A.  C.  A.  Flag. 

A  Green  Flag  displayed  signifies  that  buoys  are  to  be  left  to 
starboard.    A  Red  Flag  signifies  they  are  to  be  left  to  port. 

The  Regatta  Committee  may  vary  the  manner  of  starting  at 
their  discretion,  but  all  races  should  be  started  to  windward 
when  practicable,  and  under  a  time  limit. 

Should  any  canoe  meet  with  an  accident  at  the  start  of  a 
race,  through  no  fault  of  its  own,  the  Regatta  Committee  shall 
have  power  to  recall  the  entire  fleet  and  order  a  new  start, 
allowing  time,  if  they  deem  it  just,  for  repairs  to  be  made. 


68  SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRARY. 

RIGHT  OF  WAY. 

Definitions. 
RULE  XXII. 

(0)  Close  Hauled. — A  canoe  is  close  hauled  when  sailing  by 
the  wind  as  close  as  she  can  lay  with  advantage  in  working  to 
windward. 

(&)  Mark. — A  Mark  is  any  vessel,  boat,  buoy  or  other  object 
used  to  indicate  the  course. 

(c)  Overlapping  and  Clear. — Two  canoes  sailing  the  same  or 
nearly  the  same  course  are  said  to  be  overlapping  when  an  altera- 
tion of  the  course  of  either  may  involve  risk  of  collision. 
Otherwise  they  are  said  to  be  clear. 

(d)  Overtaking. — Of  two  canoes,  sailing  in  the  same  or 
nearly  the  same  course,  one  which  is  clear  astern  of  another 
when  approaching  her  so  as  to  involve  risk  of  collision,  is  said 
to  be  an  overtaking  canoe,  and  she  continues  such  after  the 
canoes  overlap  until  she  has  again  drawn  clear. 

Overtaking^   Luffing    and    Bearing    Away. 

(1)  A  canoe  overtaking  another  canoe  shall  keep  clear  of  the 
overtaken  canoe. 

Passing  to  Windward. 

(2)  An  overtaken  canoe  may  luff  as  she  pleases  to  prevent  an 
overtaking  canoe  passing  her  to  windward,  until  she  is  in  such 
a  position  that  her  stem  would  strike  the  overtaking  canoe  abaft 
the  stem,  when  her  right  to  prevent  the  other  having  a  free 
passage  to  windward  shall  cease. 

Passing  to  Leeward. 

(3)  An  overtaken  canoe  must  never  bear  away  to  prevent 
another  canoe  from  passing  her  to  leeward — ^the  lee  side  to  be 
considered  that  on  which  the  leading  canoe  of  the  two  carries 
her  main  boom.  The  overtaking  canoe  must  not  luff  until  she 
has  drawn  clear  ahead  of  the  danger  of  fouling  the  canoe,  by 
so  luffing,  which  she  has  overtaken. 

Meeting,  Crossing  and  Converging. 

(4)  A  canoe  which  has  the  wind  free  shall  keep  out  of  the 
way  of  one  which  is  close  hauled. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  69 

(5)  A  canoe  which  is  close  hauled  on  the  port  tack  shall  keep 
out  of  the  way  of  one  which  is  close  hauled  on  the  starboard  tack. 

(6)  When  both  canoes  have  the  wind  free  on  different  sides 
the  canoe  which  has  the  wind  on  the  port  side  shall  keep  out  of 
the  way  of  the  other. 

(7)  When  both  have  the  wind  free  on  the  same  side  the 
canoe  to  windward  shall  keep  out  of  the  way  of  the  canoe  to 
leeward. 

(8)  When  two  canoes,  both  close  hauled  on  the  same  tack, 
are  converging  by  reason  of  the  leeward  canoe  holding  a  better 
wind,  and  neither  can  claim  the  rights  of  a  canoe  being  over- 
taken, then  the  canoe  to  windward  shall  keep  out  of  the  way. 

(9)  A  canoe  may  not  tack  nor  alter  her  course  so  as  to  involve 
risk  of  collision  with  another  canoe  which,  owing  to  her  posi- 
tion, cannot  keep  out  of  the  way. 

Altering  Course. 

(10)  When  by  any  of  the  above  clauses  one  canoe  has  to 
keep  out  of  the  way  of  another  the  latter — subject  to  Clause  2 — 
shall  not  so  alter  her  course  as  to  involve  the  risk  of  fouling. 

The  OVERTAKING  Rule  overrides  the  MEETING,  CROSS- 
ING and  CONVERGING  Rule,  except  Clauses  (5)  and  (9), 
which  must  always  be  observed. 

(11)  Rights  of  New  Course. — A  canoe  shall  not  become  en- 
titled to'  her  rights  on  a  new  course  until  she  has  filled  away. 

(12)  Passing  and  Rounding  Marks. — If  an  overlap  exists 
between  two  canoes  when  both  of  them,  without  tacking,  are 
about  to  pass  a  mark  on  a  required  side,  then  the  outside  canoe 
must  give  the  inside  canoe  room  to  pass  clear  of  the  mark. 

A  canoe  shall  not,  however,  be  justified  in  attempting  to  estab- 
lish an  overlap  and  thus  force  a  passage  between  another 
canoe  and  the  mark,  after  the  latter  canoe  has  altered  her  helm 
for  the  purpose  of  rounding. 

(13)  Obstruction  to  Sea  Room, — ^When  a  canoe  is  approach- 
ing a  shore,  shoal,  pier,  rock,  vessel,  or  other  dangerous  obstruc- 
tion, and  cannot  go  clear  by  altering  her  course  without  fouling 
another  canoe,  then  the  latter  shall,  on  being  hailed  by  the 
former,  at  once  give  room;  and  in  case  one  canoe  is  forced 


QO  SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRARY. 

to  tack,  or  to  bear  away  in  order  to  give  room,  the  other  shall 
also  tack,  or  bear  away,  as  the  case  may  be,  at  as  near  the  same 
time  as  is  possible  without  danger  of  fouling.  But  should  such 
obstruction  be  a  designated  mark  of  the  course,  a  canoe  forcing 
another  to  tack  under  the  provisions  of  this  section  shall  be 
disqualified.  (See  Rule  XXVI,  Sec.  2,  where  this  rule  is  par- 
ticularly referred  to.) 

RULE  XXIII. 
Wrecking  or  Shifting  of  a  Mark. — Should  any  mark  be  miss- 
ing or  removed  from  its  proper  position  during  a  race  the 
Regatta  Committee  shall,  if  possible,  replace  it  or  substitute  the 
Committee  Boat,  and  call  attention  by  gun  or  whistle.  Failing 
thus  to  re-establish  the  mark,  the  race  may  be  ordered  resailed 
or  not,  at  the  option  of  the  Regatta  Committee. 

RULE   XXIV. 
Accidents. — A  canoe  should  render  every  possible  assistance 
to  any  canoe  or  person  in  peril,  and  if  in  the  judgment  of  the 
Regatta  Committee  she  shall  have  thereby  injured  her  chances 
of  winning  they  shall  order  the  race  resailed. 

RULE  XXV. 

Postponed  and  Resailed  Races. — (i).  At  any  time  before  the 
Preparatory  Signal,  the  Regatta  Committee  shall  have  the  power 
to  postpone  any  race  should  unfavorable  weather  conditions 
render  such  postponement  advisable. 

(2)  At  any  time  after  the  starting  signal  and  before  the  finish 
the  Regatta  Committee  shall  have  the  power  to  declare  off  or 
order  resailed  any  race,  should  unfavorable  weather  conditions 
render  a  finish  improbable  within  the  time  limit.  The  signal 
denoting  such  action  shall  be  a  gun,  and  the  lowering  of  the 
A.  C.  A.  Flag.  New  entries  shall  not  be  received  for  such 
resailed  races,  and  a  canoe  disqualified  in  the  original  race  shall 
not  be  eligible  to  start  in  the  resailed  race. 

RULE  XXVI. 
Disqualifications — (i).    A   canoe    must    go    fairly   round    the 
course,  rounding  the  series  of  marks  specified  in  the  instructions; 


SPAXDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBRAHY.  61 

and  in  order  to  round  each  mark,  the  canoe's  track  from  the 
preceding  to  the  following  mark  must  enclose  it  on  the  required 
side.  A  canoe  touching  a  mark,  unless  wrongfully  compelled 
to  do  so  by  another  canoe,  shall  at  once  abandon  the  race,  or  be 
disqualified. 

(2)  If  a  canoe,  in  consequence  of  her  neglect  of  any  of  these 
rules,  shall  foul  another  canoe,  or  compel  another  canoe  to  foul 
any  canoe,  mark  or  obstruction,  or  to  run  aground,  she  shall  be 
disqualified  and  shall  pay  all  damages;  and  any  canoe  which 
shall  wrongfully  cause  another  to  luff,  bear  away,  or  tack,  in 
order  to  avoid  fouling,  or  shall  without  due  cause  compel  an- 
other canoe  to  give  room  or  to  tack  under  Sec.  13,  Rule  XXII, 
or  shall  herself  fail  to  tack  or  to  bear  away,  as  required  in  that 
section,  or  shall  in  any  other  way  infringe,  fail  to  comply  with 
any  of  these  rules  or  attempt  to  win  a  race  by  other  means  than 
fair  sailing  and  superior  speed  and  skill,  shall  be  disqualified. 

(3)  The  Regatta  Committee  shall,  without  protest,  disqualify 
any  canoe  which  to  their  knowledge  has  committed  a  breach  of 
these  rules. 

(4)  Should  the  owner  of  any  canoe,  duly  entered  for  a  race, 
consider  that  he  has  a  fair  ground  of  complaint  against  another 
'he  must  give  notice  of  the  same  before  leaving  his  boat  on  the 
finish  of  the  race,  to  the  Regatta  Committee,  and  must  present 
the  same  in  writing  within  an  hour. 

(5)  The  Regatta  Committee  shall,  after  hearing  such  evidence 
as  they  may  deem  necessary,  decide  the  protest. 

(6)  An  appeal  from'  the  decision  of  the  Regatta  Committee 
may  be  made  to  the  Racing  Board  for  immediate  action,  and 
their  decision  shall  be  final. 

(7)  No  member  of  the  Committee  or  Racing  Board  shall  take 
part  in  the  decision  of  any  question  in  which  he  is  directly 
interested. 

RULE  XXVII. 
A  canoe  must  carry  all  ballast  and  equipment  throughout  a 
race  with  which  she  starts. 
A  canoe  shall  not  be  propelled  by  rocking  or  fanning. 


68  SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRAET. 

RULE    XXVIII. 

Tilting  Tournament. — In  the  Tilting  Tournament,  when  more 
than  two  crews  arje  entered,  they  shall  be  paired  off  in  heats  by 
drawing  lots.  The  contestants  must  use  open  canoes.  In  select- 
ing canoes  for  the  contest  the  Regatta  Conumittee  must  select 
the  two  most  unstable  boats  obtainable  within  the  A.  C.  A. 
classifications,  and  place  the  spearsman  as  far  forward  as  pos- 
sible, the  object  being  to  make  it  a  test  of  skill  in  spearing 
and  balancing  rather  than  one  of  strength;  the  tilting  poles  to 
be  not  less  than  7  nor  more  than  9  feet  in  length.  The  Regatta 
Committee  shall  furnish  tilting  poles.  The  canoes  to  pass  each 
other  to  starboard  in  engaging.  Spearsman  to  stand  when  within 
sparring  distance.  Only  the  padded  end  of  the  pole  to  be  used, 
and  this  for  pushing  or  thrusting  only.  If  a  canoe  is  pushed 
or  pulled  with  the  spear  it  will  be  counted  a  foul;  voluntary, 
or  forced  squatting,  kneeling,  sitting  down  or  taking  hold  of 
opponent's  spear  will  be  called  a  foul.  A  crew  getting  eight 
fouls  called  by  the  judges  forfeits  its  heat. 

RULE  XXIX. 

Amendments. — ^These  rules  may  be  amended  by  a  vote  of  a 
majority  of  the  Racing  Board  of  the  Association,  notice  of  such 
change  having  been  given  in  the  official  organs  at  least  two  weeks 
before  the  vote  of  the  Racing  Board  is  taken  thereon. 

RULE  XXX. 
Vacancies. — In  cases  of  temporary  vacancies  in  the  Regatta 
Committee  the  other  members  shall  appoint  substitutes. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 


HINTS  FOR  THE  BEGINNER 


At  the  very  start  of  his  canoeing  career,  or  even  before  it 
really  begins,  the  amateur  should  make  friends  with  some 
canoeist  known  to  be  an  expert  in  the  sport  and  frankly  seek 
advice.  There  is  a  comradeship  about  outdoor  life  which  fully 
warrants  this  sort  of  thing  and  there  need  be  no  expectation  of 
rebuff;  on  the  contrary,  the  most  delightful  friendships  often 
form  this  way  and  the  beginner  is  started  right  while  the  expert 
is  complimented  by  the  selection  of  himself  as  a  teacher. 
Canoeing,  more  than  almost  any  other  sport,  permits  the  be- 
ginner to  naturally  drift  into  bad  habits  in  handling  canoe  or 
paddle  or  sail  which  it  is  most  difficult  to  break. 

In  some  of  the  best  canoeing  centers  there  will  occasionally 
be  seen  men  who  have  evidently  been  canoeing  for  many  years, 
yet  whose  work  instantly  stamps  them  as  the  victims  of  bad 
habits.  The  Charles  River,  near  Boston,  is  one  of  the  most 
conspicuous  examples  of  this,  as  might  naturally  be  expected 
where  nearly  ten  thousand  canoeists  congregate,  many  of  them 
simply  picking  up  the  knack  of  making  a  canoe  glide  over  the 
water  without  any  technical  instruction.  To  the  lover  of  correct 
methods  and  good  form  in  any  sport  some  of  these  canoeists, 
notwithstanding  the  beauty  of  their  canoes  and  the  excellence  of 
equipment,  but  really  because  of  those  material  advantages,  are 
the  most  distressing  sight  in  their  persistent  and  conspicuous 
violations  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  handling  of  a 
paddle. 

But  before  taking  up  the  management  of  the  paddle  a  word 
should  be  said  concerning  some  of  the  right  methods  of  caring 
for  and  handling  a  canoe  itself.  Upon  the  observance  of  these 
points  will  depend  the  life  and  strength  of  the  canoe  and  per- 
haps the  safety  of  its  occupants.  Many  of  them  are  the  result 
of  years  of   experience  on  the  part  of  the  canoeists  whose 


61  SPAXDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRARY. 

actions  are  commended  or  years  of  practice  on  the  part  of  the 
writer  after  studying  the  best  canoe  men  of  two  continents. 
In  almost  every  important  respect  the  Indian  will  be  found  the 
best  of  all  models  for  the  ambitious  canoeist  to  study.  His 
use  of  the  craft  is  not  merely  that  of  a  sportsman,  caring  little 
for  the  canoe  after  it  has  served  the  ends  of  one  interesting 
trip;  he  may  and  generally  does  depend  upon  it  to  serve  many 
years  of  usefulness  and  business,  in  all  sorts  of  circumstances. 

The  Indian,  for  instance,  never  approaches  a  shore  or  landing 
"bow  on."  He  knows  that  to  put  one  end  of  a  frail  canoe^on 
a  shore,  or  log  or  rock,  and  then  add  his  weight  to  the  load  in 
the  center,  is  almost  invariably  likely  to  "hog"  the  canoe  or 
*'break  its  back."  He  approaches  the  shore  sidewise,  so  that 
both  occupants  may  step  out  together;  in  fact  he  regards  a  wet 
foot  as  much  less  important  than  a  weakened  canoe.  His  white 
brother  may  well  take  lesson  from  him.  Incidentally,  landing 
the  contents  of  the  canoe  from  the  side  is  much  easier  than 
dragging  th6M  over  bow  or  stern. 

When  an  all-wood  canoe  is  left  for  any  length  of  time,  the 
best  Canadian  practice  is  to  put  it  in  the  shade  or  cover  it  over 
with  an  old  cloth  or  even  boughs  to  keep  the  sun  from  drying 
it  out  too  much.  A  canvas  covered  canoe  on  the  other  hand 
is  best  left,  bottom  side  up,  where  wind  can  at  least  get  under 
it;  the  very  construction  implies  dryness  all  the  time.  But  sun 
of  course  is  likely  to  blister  and  peel  the  enamel  or  paint.  Two 
togs  are  the  best  resting  places  for  a  canoe,  and  always  it  should 
be  left  bottom  up. 

Canoes  intended  to  be  drawn  after  a  launch  should  have  a 
brass  ring  set  in  the  stem  or  front  bang-iron  seven  or  eight 
inches  below  the  top;  if  drawn  from  a  ring  on  dex:k  they  are 
likely  to  turn  over  or  plunge  into  the  wave  created  by  the  boat 
drawing  them.  When  there  is  ice  in  the  water  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  cover  the  bow  of  the  canoe  back  several  feet  under  the 
stem  with  an  old  piece  of  canvas  held  securely  in  place  by  cords 
or  rope. 

The  method  of  carrying  a  canoe  of  ordinary  size  and  weight 
is  to  first  attach  the  paddles  to  the  two  middle  thwarts,  then 


Adirondack  boys'   camp. 


The  author's  patcne 


alter    running 
Maine. 


strenuous    Kennebec  River, 


SPiLLDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBRABT.  06 

stand  alongside  the  center  of  the  canoe  facing  the)  stern,  grasp 
the  further  side  with  the  right  hand  and  the  near  side  with  the 
left,  swing  the  canoe  quickly  up  and  over  the  head  and  it  is 
clear  that  the  canoeman  will  be  facing  the  bow  with  the  canoe 
over  his  head.  An  eighty  pound  canoe  can  be  carried  by  any 
ordinarily  strong  man  with  remarkable  ease  after  he  gets  the 
knack. 

Sometiifees  it  will  be  found  that  the  balance  of  the  canoe 
is  better  by  carrying  it  stem  first  or  the  positions  of  the  thwarts 
may  render  that  method  advisable.  Very  rarely  will  it  be  found 
that  any  canoe  weighing  under  a  hundred  pounds  can  be  carried 
easier  by  two  men  than  one  man  can  do  it ;  although  the  amateur 
will  not  be  disposed  to  accept  this  statement  without  experiment. 
And  it  is  always  easier  to  carry  the  canoe  inverted  over  head 
than  under  arms  or  held  alongside,  bottom  down. 

In  carrying  a  canoe  any  distance  it  is  well  to  utilize  every  reason- 
able advantage  of  ground  or  rocks  or  stumps  for  resting  the 
canoe  without  actually  turning  it  over;  there  are  few  amateurs 
who  will  enjoy  the  sport  of  actually  running  two  or  three  mile 
carries  with  a  canoe  on  their  shoulders,  as  the  half-breed  guides 
of  Canada  like  to  do. 

There  are  various  yokes  and  carrying  devices  which  have 
some  measure  of  popularity  in  this  country,  but  they  are  hardly 
worth  carrying  any  distance.  A  sweater  thrown  over  the 
shoulders,  or  several  shirts,  is  the  best  shoulder  protection.  A 
pneumatic  collar,  however,  serves  several  uses,  including  seat, 
pillow  and  shoulder  protection  and  may  be  worth  carrying.  If 
one  prefers,  the  flat  end  of  the  paddles  may  be  fastened  forward 
and  rest  on  the  shoulders  but  the  writer  prefers  the  round  ends. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 


HOW  TO  PADDLE  A  CANOE 


Paddling  a  canoe  is  one  of  the  hardest  things  to  describe  in 
the  world  of  outdoor  sport,  but  a  careful  analysis  of  its  prin- 
ciples ought  to  be  attempted  in  the  simplest  phrases  possible,  for 
the  benefit  of  the  ambitious  beginner.  We  will  select  the  single 
blade  paddle,  used  from  the  stern  of  an  open,  cruising  canoe, 
as  being  the  most  popular  form  of  the  sport  and  as  being  the 
first  thing  the  canoeist  ought  to  learn. 

The  fundamental  principle  of  this  method  of  paddling,  as 
practised  by  the  best  long  distance  canoemen  of  the  continent, 
not  racing  style,  but  simply  for  easy,  telling  propulsion  under 
normal  conditions,  is  to  make  the  lower  arm  merely  a  swing- 
ing fulcrum.  The  upper  arm,  to  the  push  of  which  is  added  at 
least  a  part  of  the  weight  of  the  whole  upper  body,  forms  the 
powerful  leverage.  Among  many  of  the  best  canoemen  of 
Maine  and  Canada  the  round  portion  of  the  handle,  just  above 
the  place  where  it  is  grasped  by  the  lower  hand,  is  allowed  to 
rest  upon  and  slightly  press  against  the  upper  muscles  of  the 
leg  at  the  thigh,  thus  really  forming  a  firm  fulcrum.  Among 
others,  notably  the  Montaignais  Indians,  and  some  of  the  best 
paddlers  among  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  crews,  allow  the 
paddle  to  rest  firmly  against  the  gunwale  of  the  canoe  and  use 
that  as  fulcrum.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  lower  arm  is  not  used 
for  serious  muscular  work.  But  in  the  great  majority  of  pad- 
dling seen  on  pleasure  resort  waters  the  lower  arm  is  reached 
far  forward,  the  paddle  inserted  in  the  water  at  an  angle  which 
brings  the  upper  end  or  handle  close  to  the  face  of  the  paddler, 
the  paddle  projecting  off  on  an  angle  only  limited  by  the  reach 
of  the  lower  arm.  Nothing  could  be  more  incorrect,  more  ex- 
hausting, more  ungraceful,  or  less  efficient.  The  very  principle 
of  paddling,  which  is  that  of  exerting  leverage  on  the  water, 
is  violated^  and  the  paddler  frantically  tries  to  draw  the  water 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  67 

toward  him  by  the  wasteful  expenditure  of  the  strength  of  the 
lower  arm. 

In  the  best  paddling  the  lower  hand  will  not  swing  much 
ov€r  a  foot  forward  and  aft,  all  the  motion  being  by  the  arm 
which  is  grasping  the  upper  end  of  thq  paddle.  This  arrange- 
ment rests  the  lower  arm  and  hand  and,  when  the  paddle  is 
changed  to  the  other  side  of  the  canoe,  for  rest  or  the  cultiva- 
tion of  ambidexterity,  that  arm  and  hand  which  has  been 
hanging  as  a  mere  swinging  fulcrum  comes  up  to  the  upper  end 
of  the  paddle  fresh  and  vigorous.  No  man  who  paddles  vio- 
lating this  fundamental  principle  of  the  art  can  ever  hope  to 
stay  with  the  wonderful  canoemen  of  the  north,  who  will 
paddle  fifty  miles  a  day,  race  the  last  five  miles  of  it  and  finish 
fresh. 

There  is  a  saying  among  the  canoemen  of  the  north  which 
reveals  a  great  deal  to  the  student  of  good  paddling.  "He  leans 
on  his  paddle,"  they  say  of  their  best  canoemen.  In  other 
words  he  actually  swings  the  weight  of  his  body,  from  the  waist 
up,  against  the  upper  end  of  his  paddle.  Here  is  a  conservation 
of  energy,  a  multiplying  of  power,  which  costs  nothing  more 
than  a  bit  of  thought  and  which  will  actually  add  foot-tons  in 
the  day's  total  of  energy  applied. 

So  much  for  the  leverage  and  the  right  method  of  its  appli- 
cation. Now  for  steering.  It  is  of  course  clear  that  a  paddle 
must  be  manipulated  somehow  if  in  paddling  on  one  side  of  a 
canoe  the  craft  is  to  be  kept  on  a  straight  course.  There  is  only 
one  right  way  to  do  this,  but  the  wrong  way  is  persistently 
illustrated  almost  everywhere  that  canoeing  is  in  vogue  and 
even  among  some  otherwise  excellent  canoemen.  The  right  way 
consists  of  making  a  slight  turn  of  the  wrist  of  the  arm  which 
is  uppermost,  and  that  slight  turn  must  invariably  be  as  if  the 
upper  end  of  the  paddle  were  being  turned,  like  a  screwdriver, 
inwardly,  toward  the  bow  of  the  canoe,  no  matter  on  which  side 
of  the  canoe  the  paddle  is  being  used.  Here  is  where  a  very 
great  number  of  canoeists  make  the  bad  error  of  turning  the 
paddle  the  wrong  way;  that  is,  at  the  end  of  the  stroke  they  hold 
the  wri&t  rigid  and  simply  draw  back  with  the  arm  which  is 


m  SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC   LtBRABT. 

uppermost,  thus  bringing  the  canoe  back  to  a  straight  course. 
The  wrong  way  is  easier  than  the  right  way,  in  canoeing  as  well 
as  in  morals,  and  it  requires  some  sharp  attention  and  care  not 
to  drift  into  the  incorrect  finish  of  the  paddling  stroke. 

In  racing,  the  position  is  generally  that  of  kneeling  on  one 
knee  on  the  side  where  the  paddle  is  to  be  used.  There  is  fair 
excuse  for  the  reaching  forward  with  the  lower  hand  and  arm 
in  this  racing  position  which  has  been  condemned  for  regular 
cruising  work,  but  even  at  that,  it  is  a  question  if  the  correct 
cruising  position  and  stroke  would  not  bring  a  man  in[  first  at 
any  distance  over  five  miles.  The  writer  is  not  aware  that  any 
competitive  trial  of  these  positions  has  ever  been  made.  It 
would  be  an  interesting  and  novel  contest  for  some  future  meet 
of  canoeists. 

There  is  a  so-called  sculling  stroke,  or  silent  stroke,  which  is 
most  important  for  the  hunter,  either  he  who  wields  weapon  of 
steel  or  he  who  wields  the  harmless  and  perhaps  more  inter- 
esting camera.  For  photographing  wild  game  at  night  with  the 
flashlight,  now  generally  regarded  as  the  highest  type  of  sport 
to  be  found  in  the  wild  places,  the  silent  stroke  is  absolutely 
essential.  It  is  possible  only  to  the  skilled  expert,  and  consists 
of  making  the  return  or  retrieve  through  the  water  and  not 
through  the  air.  For  its  best  execution  a  short  paddle,  reason- 
ably narrow,  is  required,  which  is  turned  flat  with  the  direction 
of  the  canoe  at  the  end  of  the  stroke  and  sent  back  through  the 
water.  For  this  work  one  must  lean  well  over  the  water  and 
the  leverage  is  applied  both  by  the  arm  which  has  hold  of  the 
upper  end  of  the  paddle  and  the  lower  arm.  This  is  the  only 
paddling  position  in  which  the  lower  hand  and  wrist  is  employed 
to  turn  the  paddle  or  to  assist  in  its  turning. 

The  simplest  of  all  paddling  strokes  is  that  where  the  double 
blade  is  used.  This  paddle  consists  of  two  single  blades  jointed 
in  the  middle  and  the  paddler  or  paddlers  sit  in  the  center  of 
the  canoe,  practically  on  the  bottom,  and  do  not  atempt  to  turn 
the  canoe  back  to  a  straight  course  at  the  end  of  each  stroke 
as  is  necessarily  done  with  the  single  blade  continuously  used 
on  one  side  of  the  canoe. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLBTIO    LIBRARY.  «9 

The  double  blade  is  the  preferred  one-man  canoe  equipment 
and  is  the  type  of  paddle  which  was  used  by  the  famous  pioneer 
of  canoeing  as  a  sport,  MacGregor  of  the  "Rob  Roy/'  and  some 
of  his  almost  equally  famous  successors.  In  some  respects  it 
has  advantages  over  the  single  blade  used  in  the  stern  because 
quicker  turns  can  be  made  in  bad  water  or  rapids  and  there  is 
always  a  blade  handy  to  stick  out  one  side  or  the  other  to  make 
a  stroke  with  or  fend  off  impending  danger.  But  it  is  not  as 
well  adapted  to  cruising  canoes  since  the  paddler  sits  in  the 
middle  occupying  the  best  stowage  of  the  craft  and  the  stroke 
cannot  be  maintained  as  long.  Nor  does  it  offer  such  change 
of  muscles  as  the  single  blade,  which  can  be  transferred  from 
one  side  to  the  other  occasionally,  thus  bringing  new  and  rested 
muscles  into  use. 

The  racing  stroke  is  generally  done  from  a  half-standing 
position,  one  foot  being  extended  in  front  and  resting  on  the 
bottom  of  the  canoe  and  the  other  bent  at  the  knee,  there  carrying 
the  weight  of  the  paddler.  In  singles  or  team  or  club  races  this 
is  the  best  position  for  distance  and  fast  work. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBABY. 


LEARN  TO  SWIM— CANOE  STUNTS— TAKE 
A  CAMERA— GENERAL  HINTS 


One  of  the  most  interesting  and  illuminating  items  in  the  con- 
stitution of  the  American  Canoe  Association  is  the  provision 
that  membership  in  the  organization  is  based  upon  the  ability  of 
the  applicant  to  swim.  No  other  qualifications  regarding  ability 
on  the  water,  either  in  the  paddling  or  sailing  of  a  canoe,  nor 
knowledge  of  woodcraft  are  mentioned.  The  good  sense  of  the 
provision  regarding  swimming  ought  to  be  apparent  to  every 
lover  of  the  great  outdoors,  whether  he  does  any  canoeing  or 
not.  If  every  American  boy  and  every  American  girl  were 
taught  to  swim  in  our  public  schools,  as  they  are  in  (benighted?) 
Japan,  we  should  hear  less  concerning  the  canoe  as  a  quick 
method  of  suicide. 

The  danger  of  the  small  boat,  whether  it  be  canoe  or  skiff  or 
catboat  or  yacht  of  any  kind,  is  not  in  the  craft  but  in  the 
liberties  which  are  taken  with  it  by  the  inexperienced  and  the 
novice,  who  dare  its  management  without  fair  training  or  proper 
knowledge.  Let  every  boy  and  every  girl  learn  how  to  swim, 
whether  interested  in  canoeing  or  not,  and  the  number  of 
fatalities  will  be  greatly  lessened.  As  it  is,  the  canoe  is  propor- 
tionately far  less  dangerous  than  it  is  supposed  to  be,  as  any 
life  or  accident  insurance  actuary  will  testify.  There  are  pro- 
portionately more  accidents  and  fatalities  to  persons  quietly 
walking  along  city  streets  than  there  are  to  the  users  of  the 
"deadly"  canoe. 

The  canoeist  should  early  learn  at  least  a  few  of  the  so-called 
tricks  of  the  expert  canoe  handler,  not  merely  for  their  enter- 
tainment but  because  they  teach  confidence  and  balance  and 
make  for  readiness  and  safety.  Some  of  them  may  come  ex- 
tremely handy  when  an  upset  occurs. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBRAET.  « 

Learn  to  get  into  the  canoe  from  the  water.  Bathing  suit  or 
street  clothes  may  be  worn  for  this  trick  and  it  will  sometimes 
occur  that  the  canoeist  is  in  full  cruising  costume  when  he  will 
need  to  know  how  to  do  this  little  turn,  so  let  him  practice  first 
with  bathing  togs  on  and  then  with  the  street  clothes.  Every 
swimmer  ought  to  learn  how  to  take  off  his  clothes  in  the 
water  and  the  canoeist  may  need  the  same  knowledge  some  day. 

The  Canadians  are  masters  of  this  trick.  In  many  of  their 
water  sport  entertainments  they  have  an'  event  of  this  sort.  It 
is  best  done  with  a  canoe  of  wide  beam  and  shallow  depth  but 
can  be  done  with  practically  any  canoe  after  some  practice. 
The  birchi  bark  canoe  of  Canada  lends  itself  especially  well  to 
this  sort  of  thing  and  it  is  with  that  type  of  craft  that  the 
best  exhibitions  of  the  sport  are  generally  given.  The  upset  is 
intentional,  then  the  swimmer  faces  the  side  of  the  canoe,  makes 
a  sharp  swimming  stroke  and  pushes  the  canoe  from  him  as 
strongly  as  possible.  This  ships  water  over  the  edge  of  the 
craft  toward  him  and  serves  to  partly  empty  it.  Repeated  efforts 
of  this  kind  practically  clear  the  canoe  of  water  and  then  the 
swimmer  gets  in  either  from  the  side  or  from  bow  or  stern. 
The  side  method  is  easiest  and  consists  of  reaching  one  arm 
over  the  craft  to  the  far  gunwale  and  climbing  carefully  in 
while  the  weight  is  rested  partly  on  both  gunwales.  It  is  easier 
than  it  appears.  There  are  peculiar  idiosyncrasies  of  individual 
canoes  which  makes  entrance  from  side  or  stern  the  easier. 

Then  learn  to  paddle  standing  on  the  gunwales  of  the  canoe. 
The  writer  knows  no  trick  which  more  quickly  demonstrates 
to  the  crowd  that  the  canoe  is  what  the  canoeist  makes  it,  than 
this  trick.  It  is  great  sport  to  make  up  gunwale  races,  or  races 
where  the  paddler  sits  in  the  extreme  bow,  facing  forward,  or 
over  the  stem  with  feet  crossed.  All  these  things  are  good 
practise  and  show  the  real  stability  of  canoes  in  the  hands  of 
expert  or  careful  users. 

And  do  not  fail  to  carry  a  camera  of  some  kind  ever3rwhere 
the  canoe  goes.  There  are  no  more  interesting  or  delightful 
pictures  in  all  the  world  of  outdoor  sport  than  which  are  asso- 
ciated with  the  canoe,  whether  it  be  in  crowded  city  park  or 


72  SPAUDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBRABT. 

suburban  river  or  among  the  real  wilds  of  the  far  north.  The 
canoeist  is  generally  where  good  pictures  are  possible  and  likely; 
lie  is  in  the  open,  water  reflects  light  and  softens  shadows  and 
the  combination  of  woods  and  waters  needs  not  even  Ruskin's 
enthusiastic  description  as  the  finest  thing  in  nature.  The 
occasional  bits  of  athletic  or  acrobatic  sailing,  the  "stunts"  of 
the  canoe  meet  and  the  cruise,  from  the  gunwale  races  to  run- 
ning rapids  standing  on  one's  head — which  has  been  done — or 
the  mirth-provoking  tilting  contest,  will  furnish  worth-while  em- 
ployment of  photographic  skill  and  the  best  equipment. 

The  postal  card  camera  or  kodak,  3^x5^  inches,  either  of  the 
box  type,  which  is  always  ready,  or  the  folding  style,  is  an  ad- 
mirable size  for  pictorial  effects.  The  3}iM}i  is  excellent  for 
making  lantern  slides  with  which  to  regale  the  friends  or  club 
mates  during  the  winter. 

And  finally  treat  your  canoe,  whether  it  be  open  cruiser, 
decked  paddler,  or  racing  sailer,  like  the  thing  of  life  and  beauty 
that  it  is.  Be  its  chivalrous  champion  and  friend,  its  respectful 
custodian  and  happy  companion;  for  a  canoe,  like  a  woman,  has 
moods  and  whims  and  responds  to  kindly  attentions  and  defer- 
ential treatment  as  if  it  were  imbued  with  all  the  attributes  of 
charming,  mysterious  femininity.  Thus  shall  you  get  the  great- 
est amount  of  pleasure  out  of  your  chosen  sport  and  compliment 
your  own  best  instincts. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 


SAILING  CANOES 

By  C.  BowYER  Vaux 

Th€  sail  plays  the  principal  part  when  canoe  cruising  is  done  on 
open  water.  A  sailing  canoe  is  much  more  complicated  than  a 
paddler.  It  must  have  a  rudder,  a  centerboard  or  keel,  besides  one 
or  more  suits  of  two  sails.  The  canoeman  used  to  sit  on  the  bot- 
tom for  sailing,  but  the  deck  position  has  so  many  advantages 
that  it  is  now  universally  taken.  Canoes  are  sailed  exactly  in  the 
same  way  as  a  larger  boat,  and  the  canoe  racing  rules  are  almost 
exactly  the  same  as  those  for  the  yacht  racing.  The  paddle  is 
always  carried  when  sailing,  to  use  in  case  the  wind  fails. 

There  is  not  a  prettier  thing  in  the  world  than  a  canoe  under 
sail.  It  is  a  little  butterfly  on  the  water.  If  you  want  to  see  a 
pretty  sight,  go  to  one  of  the  American  Canoe  Association's 
annual  meets  and  watch  a  canoe  sailing  race,  where  twenty  or 
more  of  these  little  fellows  cross  a  line  and  sail  over  a  triangular 
course  in  sight  all  the  time.  Every  style  of  canoe,  sail,  and  rig 
may  be  seen  along  the  shore  and  on  the  water  during  the  two 
weeks  of  the  meet,  and  more  can  be  learned  in  a  half  day's  study 
of  them  than  in  a  year  of  reading. 

The  racing  men  some  years  ago  adopted  what  is  known  as  the 
sliding  deck  seat,  which  extends  over  the  side  of  the  canoe  and 
on  which  the  captain  sits  when  sailing.  It  can  be  shifted  from 
one  side  to  the  other  when  the  canoe  tacks  and  is  much  more 
comfortable  to  sit  on  than  the  deck,  and  dryer  when  sailing  in 
rough  water.  Considerable  skill  is  required  to  keep  a  canoe  right 
side  up  when  sailing,  as  the  harder  the  wind  blows  the  further  out 
of  the  canoe  must  the  skipper  get  to  hold  it  up.  Cruisers  now 
use  a  deck  seat,  as  it  adds  so  much  to  one's  comfort  when  sailing. 

The  regular  sailing-racing  canoes  are  now  decked  over  entirely, 
with  the  exception  of  a  small  hole,  called  a  cockpit,  for  the  feet 
This  cock;5>it  is  boarded  in  on  all  sides,  so  that  whatever  water 
gets  into  it  cannot  get  into  the  hold  of  the  canoe.  An  upset  in 
such  a  canoe  does  not  matter  in  the  least.    The  skipper  climbs 


74  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

out  on  the  windward  side  and  by  his  weight  lifts  the  sails  out  of 
the  water  and  thus  rights  the  canoe.  As  no  water  has  been 
able  to  get  into  the  canoe  except  the  gallon  or  two  in  the  cockpit, 
the  skipper  sails  on  again  as  though  nothing  had  happened.  No 
canoeman  minds  getting  his  feet  wet  when  sailing. 

The  cockpit  in  an  ordinary  cruising  canoe  should  be  at  least 
six  feet  clear  between  the  bulkheads  if  the  captain  expects  to 
sleep  in  it  at  any  time.  The  deck  opening  need  not  be  over  five 
feet  long  and  at  least  half  of  this  can  be  covered  with  removable 
hatches. 

THE  SAILING  CANOE. 

The  paddling  canoe  is  simple — boat,  seat  and  paddling  being 
the  essentials.  The  sailing  canoe  has,  in  addition  to  these,  spars, 
sails,  rigging,  centerboard  or  keel,  rudder  or  steering  gear  (per- 
haps ballast),  and  a  sliding  seat. 

The  canoe  is  so  small  and  light  a  boat  that  it  is  necessary  the 
sailor  should  keep  in  the  middle  to  trim  ship.  Thus,  it  has  come 
about,  in  order  to  get  an  effective  rig,  that  the  sail  area  is  divided 
into  two  sails,  one  in  front,  and  the  other  behind  him.  A  rudder 
is  necessary  to  control  the  movement  of  the  canoe  at  all  times. 

A  boat  must  have  considerable  lateral  resistance,  as  it  is  called, 
to  sail  in  any  direction  relative  to  the  course  of  the  wind  except 
straight  before  it.  If  a  sail  is  put  up  in  a  shallow  paddling  canoe, 
and  the  boat  is  headed  at  right  angles  to  the  direction  of  the  wind, 
for  instance,  it  will  be  found  to  drift  sideways  almost  as  fast  as 
it  goes  ahead — it  makes  "leeway,"  according  to  the  sailor's  ver- 
nacular. The  addition  of  a  straight,  deep  keel  will  prevent  this 
and  make  it  possible  for  the  canoe  to  sail  to  windward ;  that  is,  by 
a  series  of  tacks — sailing  diagonally  to  the  course  of  the  wind — 
actually  to  make  progress  against  the  wind.  There  are  many  dis- 
advantages to  the  use  of  a  keel.  It  makes  the  boat  draw  more 
water  and,  consequently,  dt  cannot  be  navigated  in  shallows.  The 
long,  straight  keel  prevents  quick  turning,  and  it  adds  materially 
to  the  weight.  A  hoisting  centerboard  serves  the  same  purpose 
and  does  away  with  these  disadvantages. 

The  first  sailing  canoes  had  only  one  small  sail  forward,  about 
an  inch  of  keel  along  the  bottom,  and  were  steered  with  the  pad- 


SPAXDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  75 

die,  the  skipper  sitting  at  the  bottom  in  exactly  the  same  position 
as  when  paddling.  Gradually  the  keel  was  deepened,  the  sail 
area  increased,  a  second  sail  added,  and  the  captain  changed  his 
seat  to  the  deck,  so  that  his  weight  would  be  more  effectively 
exerted  against  the  sail  pressure.  Then  the  rudder  became  a 
necessity. 

The  idea  of  making  the  canoe  a  general  all-around  sailing,  pad- 
dling, cruising  and  camping  boat  was  alone  recognized  for  many 
years,  and  all  improvements  in  rig  were  in  this  line.  Therefore, 
when  the  centerboard  was  introduced,  it  was  placed  well  forward 
so  as  not  to  cramp  the  open  cockpit  space  which  the  skipper 
occupied. 

The  rig  necessary  with  such  a  disposition  of  centerboard,  in 
order  to  preserve  the  balance,  was  a  large  sail  forward  and  a 
small  sail  aft.  Some  canoes  were  built  with  two  centerboards,  a 
very  small  one  aft,  so  that  more  sail  could  be  carried  on  the 
mizzenmast.  The  modern  sailing  canoe  is  the  direct  result  of 
racing.  The  canoes  that  entered  the  races  at  the  annual  American 
Canoe  Association  meets,  previous  to  1888,  were  all  fairly  good 
cruising  canoes.  Since  then,  the  purely  racing  machine  has  come 
to  the  front,  and  the  general  utility  canoe  relegated  to  the  rear. 

Long  practice  and  great  skill  are  required  to  win  a  sailing  race ; 
but  anyone  who  knows  even  a  little  about  sailing,  can  very  soon 
learn  to  manage  a  moderately  rigged  cruising  canoe  and  derive 
great  pleasure  from  the  sport.  Racing  at  present  is  too  expensive 
in  time  and  money  for  many  men  to  indulge  in  it. 

A  few  years  ago  the  canoemen  were  obliged  to  make  their  own 
sails,  do  their  own  rigging,  and  even  design  and  superintentend 
the  building  of  their  canoes.  The  expert  racers  do  this  to-day. 
Now,  the  best  builders  supply  all  the  modern  improvements,  and 
a  fully  equipped  sailing  canoe  can  be  purchased  ready  for  the 
buyer  to  put  in  the  water,  get  in  himself  and  sail  away. 

THE  CENTERBOARD. 
This  is  a  brass  plate  working  in  a  trunk,  hoisted  and  lowered 
by  a  rod  or  line.    The  nearer  it  is  placed  to  the  center  of  the 
canoe  the  better  from  a  purely  sailing  point  of  view.    It  can  be  so 


W  SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBEART. 

placed  without  inconveniencing  the  canoeman,  if  he  gives  up  all 
idea  of  sleeping  in  his  boat.  This  was  thought  to  be  a  necessary 
qualification  of  any  canoe  formerly,  and  very  pretty  and  conve- 
nient tents  were  made  to  put  up  at  night  over  the  cockpit  as  a 
shelter,  the  canoe,  of  course,  being  drawn  up  on  the  shore. 

There  are  two  makes  of  folding  boards,  fan-shaped,  in  limited 
use  to-day,  which,  when  hoisted,  occupy  a  small,  watertight  box 
in  the  keel  of  the  canoe  and  leave  the  cockpit  clear  for  sleeping 
room.  They  are  somewhat  prone  to  get  out  of  order  and  check 
the  speed  considerably  when  lowered,  and  are,  consequently,  not 
popular.  If  a  small  and  compact  shore  tent  is  carried  in  the  hold 
of  the  canoe,  all  camping  requirements  are  provided  without  in 
any  way  lessening  the  speed  and  handiness  of  the  canoe. 

The  centerboard  is  dropped  when  sailing  on  all  points  of  the 
wind,  except  just  before  it,  and  may  be  left  down  then  as  ballast 
without  any  appreciable  loss  of  speed.  It  is  hauled  up  when 
paddling,  cruising  in  shallow  water,  and  when  the  canoe  is  housed 
or  drawn  up  on  shore.  It  can  even  be  lifted  out  of  the  trunk  and 
clear  of  the  canoe  to  lessen  the  weight  to  be  carried,  if  so  desired. 

THE  RUDDER. 

The  drop  rudder  is  now  almost  universally  used.  It  is  of  brass, 
and  the  plate  that  is  in  the  water  can  be  raised  when  it  is  down  by 
•means  of  a  line  leading  to  the  cockpit;  when  up  it  drops  of  its 
own  weight,  if  the  line  is  released.  The  drop  rudder,  when  down, 
reaches  far  below  the  keel,  and  rarely  if  ever  jumps  out  of  the 
water  when  the  stern  goes  up  in  the  air  as  the  canoe  rides  over  a 
high  wave.  It  is  thus  always  partly  in  the  water  at  least,  and  will 
steer  the  canoe  at  any  time.  It  is  raised  up  just  as  the  center- 
board  is  when  the  canoe  is  run  into  shallow  water  or  on  shore. 

Lines  run  from  the  rudder  crosshead  to  a  tiller  within  easy 
reach  of  the  canoeman's  hand.  This  tiller  is  a  movable  stick 
pivoted  on  the  deck,  which  can  be  reached  from  either  side  of 
the  canoe  on  which  the  skipper  happens  to  be  sitting.  If  a  sliding 
deck  seat  is  used,  on  which  the  sailor  sits  well  out  over  the  side 
of  the  canoe,  the  tiller  is  made  to  slide  also,  so  as  always  to  be 
within  reach. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRABT.  77 

The  sliding  seat  is  a  racing  device,  as  is  also  the  athwart  ship 
tiller,  but  both  have  been  found  so  comfortable  for  cruising  pur- 
poses that  they  are  now  generally  used  on  all  sailing  canoes,  but 
not,  of  course,  made  to  the  extreme  racing  sizes.  It  requires 
strength  and  skill  to  go  to  such  extremes,  as  the  slightest  letup  in 
the  force  of  the  wind,  without  a  quick  shift  of  position,  would 
upset  the  canoe  to  windward. 

SAILS. 

There  is  probably  no  form,  shape,  cut  or  make  of  sail  that  has 
not  at  some  time  been  tried  on  a  canoe.  The  sails  and  rig  must 
be  very  simple,  as  one  man  has  to  handle  them  and  at  the  same 
time  balance  and  manage  the  canoe.  The  lateen  is  a  simple  sail, 
and  for  this  reason  was  very  popular  and  largely  used  a  few 
years  ago.  The  sail  is  triangular,  with  sticks  (spars)  on  two 
sides,  linked  together  at  the  angle — boom  and  yard.  A  short  mast 
with  a  pin  in  the  top  completes  the  spars.  A  ring  is  lashed  to  the 
yard  which  fits  over  the  pin  in  the  mast,  and  a  jaw  on  the  boom, 
which  fits  the  mast  and  holds  the  boom  in  place.  A  line 
attached  near  the  end  of  the  boom,  called  the  sheet,  completes  the 
outfit.  The  canoeman  trims  the  sail  with  the  sheet  and  the  sail 
is  bodily  lifted  off  the  mast  when  it  is  to  be  taken  down.  When 
two  sails  are  used,  the  sheet  of  the  mizzen  (which  is  behind  the 
skipper)  leads  to  a  block  or  ring  on  deck  at  the  stern,  and  from 
it  to  a  cleat  within  easy  reach  of  the  skipper's  hand  amidship. 

The  standing  sail  is  better  than  the  lateen  in  several  ways,  and 
even  simpler.  It  has  only  mast,  boom  and  sheet.  The  cloth  of 
the  sail  is  sewed  or  laced  to  the  spars.  The  boom  can  be  folded 
up  against  the  mast,  and  the  sail  wrapped  around  it.  It  can  be 
set  or  furled  by  simply  unrolling  it  and  standing  the  mast  up  in 
the  mast  tube  in  the  canoe,  or  lifting  it  out  and  rolling  it  up.  The 
size  of  the  sail  can  be  greatly  increased  without  lengthening  either 
mast  or  boom,  by  the  use  of  battens  slipped  in  pockets  made  in 
the  sail. 

Racing  canoes  have  many  standing  sails  of  different  sizes,  suit- 
able for  light,  moderate  or  heavy  weather,  and  the  suit  best  suited 


78  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBRABT. 

to  the  day  is  used  in  a  race,  the  others,  of  course,  being  left  on 
the  shore.  The  large  light  weather  rigs  spread  nearly  two  hun- 
dred square  feet  of  sail,  and  the  heavy  weather  rig  is  rarely  under 
seventy-five  feet.  The  latter  area  is  ample  for  a  cruising  canoe, 
and  it  will  often  occur  on  a  cruise  that  fifteen  or  twenty  square 
feet  will  be  found  quite  sufficient  for  speed  and  comfort. 

There  are  those  who  prefer  a  hoisting  and  lowering  rig  to 
either  lateen  or  standing  sails  and  use  it  for  both  cruising  and 
racing.  There  is  much  to  be  said  in  favor  of  the  standing  sail, 
especially  on  account  of  its  simplicity,  but  for  those  who  are  not 
afraid  of  a  little  trouble,  the  hoisting  rig  is  much  more  satisfac- 
tory. It  can  be  hoisted,  lowered  and  reefed  by  the  skipper  while 
afloat,  and  consequently  is  far  better  for  cruising  or  long-distance 
sailing  than  the  standing  sail.  Small  blocks,  strong  line  and  neat 
fittings  can  now  be  purchased,  and  several  sail-makers  cut  and 
sew  very  fine  sails  for  canoes.  A  hoisting  sail  is  "yachty"  and  far 
more  scientific  than  any  other,  but  it  needs  a  "sailor  man"  to  make 
and  handle  it  well. 

Battens  in  canoe  sails  have  been  used  for  many  years,  and  the 
yachts  have  lately  borrowed  this  idea  for  keeping  parts  of  their 
sail  areas  perfectly  flat. 

There  have  been  innumerable  reefing  gears  invented  and  used 
on  hoisting  sails  by  which  they  can  be  quickly  and  simply  reefed 
by  the  captain  without  moving  from  his  seat.  Canoemen  rarely, 
if  ever,  reef  in  races  now ;  the  races  are  not  long  enough  in  point 
of  time  to  make  it  necessary  (as  violent  changes  of  wind  rarely 
occur),  but  for  cruising  or  pleasure  sailing  for  all  day  a  reef  able 
sail  is  absolutely  necessary. 

Canoe  sailors  often  take  to  larger  boats,  and  of  late  years  their 
ideas  in  models,  rigs,  sails  and  fittings  have  materially  affected 
small  yachts  and  skiffs  to  greatly  improve  them. 

The  St.  Lawrence  skiff  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  large 
canoe,  and  would  be  called  a  canoe  if  it  was  not  propelled  by  oars 
so  frequently.  A  sailing  skiff  is  a  canoe  in  every  sense  of  the 
word,  and  the  racing  skiffs  on  the  St.  Lawrence  have  adopted  all 
the  canoeing  devices  (except  the  sliding  seat) — plate,  center- 
board,  drop-rudder,  two  batten  sails,  watertight  bulkheads — and 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  79 

they  are  sailed  in  exactly  the  same  way  except  that  from  four  to 
six  men  compose  the  crew  instead  of  one  man.  The  crew  all  sit 
to  windward  when  tacking,  and  lean  far  out  during  the  heavy 
puffs. 

The  single-hand  cruisers,  so  called,  are  also  often  owned,  de- 
signed and  rigged  by  ex-canoemen.  The  best  type  of  such  boats 
thus  far  produced  are  solely  the  work  of  canoemen. 

A  larger  boat  than  a  canoe  is  demanded  by  those  who  want 
companionship  when  sailing,  and  by  those  also  who  live  near  and 
enjoy  the  sport  on  large  bodies  of  water,  where  the  waves  are  at 
times  too  heavy  for  comfort  in  so  small  a  craft  as  a  sixteen- 
footer,  only  thirty  inches  wide.  Be  it  in  canoe,  skiff  or  single- 
hander,  if  you  are  fond  of  the  water  and  need  recreation,  "get 
afloat,"  and  "learn  to  swim."  Perhaps  the  order  should  be  re- 
versed. 


BPAI^ING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBBABT. 


THE  JOYS  OF  CANOEING 

By  David  M.  Hooks 

Director  Camp  Wowaste,  Instructor  Physical  Training  De  Witt 

Clinton  High  School,  New  York. 

The  contentment  of  a  quiet  paddle  over  the  glassy  surface  of 
the  lake  at  twilight,  the  thrill  of  shooting  rapids  or  jumping 
small  water  falls  on  the  winding  river,  the  joy  of  struggle  and 
the  exhilarations  of  the  conqueror  in  riding  the  swell  and  white 
caps  of  the  great  ocean  are  by  no  means  the  only  advantages 
afforded  by  the  graceful  canoe.  There  are  also  the  physical 
advantages.  As  a  physical  exercise,  canoeing  is  invaluable  in 
developing  the  long  elastic  muscular  fiber  so  essential  to  beauty 
of  the  body,  grace  and  agility,  strength  and  endurance.  And 
the  fine  part  of  this  muscular  development  is  that  it  is  acquired 
without  conscious   effort. 

If  one  would  really  get  in  touch  with  Nature,  let  him  take  such 
a  trip  as  Robert  Louis  Stevenson*  in  his  incessant  search  for 
health  took  through  Belgium  and  Northern  France.  Let  him 
travel  for  days  down  some  meandering  stream,  now  drinking 
in  the  glories  of  primeval  Nature,  now  viewing  the  quaint  or 
inornate  handiwork  of  man  scattered  at  intervals  along  the 
winding  bank.  Let  him  paddle  through  long  almost  currentless 
stretches,  let  him  scurry  down  rapids,  work  his  way  through 
almost  inaccessable  places  or  carry  his  canoe  around  impassible 
obstacles.  Then,  and  only  then,  will  one  really  know  and  ap- 
preciate the  joys  of  the  canoe. 

Canoe  sailing  is  great  sport.  Any  canoe  can  easily  be 
equipped  for  sailing.  Single  sails,  double  sails  of  the  triangular 
or  leg-o'-mutton  type  are  used.  Lee  boards  are  necessary  and 
may  be  easily  made.  Two  bamboo  poles  are  used  for  the  mast 
and  boom  respectively.  The  lee  boards  are  made  out  of 
shelving,  so  that  they  fit  snug  about  the  middle  of  canoe  and 
require  no  fastening.  With  this  rig  the  canoe  L^-weled  fast 
and  we  were  able  to  sail  anywhere  we  wished. 
*  Stevenson's  Inland  Voyage. 


I    and    2 — Sea    fight.     3 — One    end    of    standing   race;    cross    shows    winner. 
4 — Standing   race. 

A    TRI-LAKE    CANOE    CLUB    REGATTA,    LAKE    OF    THE    ISLES, 
MINNEAPOLIS,  MINN. 


■jp^'^':'!' ''  .mm 

HHHHH^^L'iM                  I^B^^^B 

iJi 

1                     '                 '           ■II.    : 

SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  81 

CONCERNING  THE  COOK  ON  THE 
CANOE  CRUISE 

By  W.  L.  Wise 

Bordentown,  N.  J.,  Manager  of  Camp  Minne-Wawa,  Algonquin 

National  Park,  Ontario,  Canada. 

Whether  we  admit  it  or  not,  man's  happiness  is  dependent, 
to  a  great  extent,  on  his  stomach.  He  does  not  have  lofty 
flights  of  exultation  when  he  'has  been  without  food  a  couple 
of  days,  nor  does  he  rejoice  immoderately  if  what  he  has  eaten 
does  not  digest  well. 

One  expects  to  give  up  many  things  on  going  to  the  woods, 
but  it  is  not  necessary  to  be  ill-fed.  All  camp  cooking  need  not 
be  accomplished  in  a  frypan  and  pails;  biscuit  and  pies  are  by 
no  means  among  the  unattainable  luxuries;  the  folding  baker  is 
easily  carried,  easily  used,  and  adds  immeasurably  to  the  pos- 
sibilities of  the  diet.  It  is  made  of  tin  or  aluminum,  and  in 
different  sizes,  to  fit  differing  pocketbooks,  and  various  sized 
parties.  Packed  with  the  blanket  tump,  it  adds  little  to  the  load, 
and  it  should  be  included  in  the  outfit  if  the  trip  is  of  more  than 
two  days'  duration. 

It  is  surprising  to  the  uninitiated  what  good  work  the  baker 
will  turn  out.  In  setting  it  up  the  operator  places  it  in  front  of 
'a  fire,  back  of  which  a  large  log  or  stones  will  reflect  the  heat 
into  it.  A  little  ingenuity  will  easily  contrive  a  fireplace  almost 
anywhere ;  if  there  is  a  heap  of  stones  near  the  camp  site,  a  little 
shifting  of  a  few  of  them  will  produce  a  first  class  one.  With 
a  good  fire,  not  a  big  one,  but  a  small  one  made  of  good  sound 
wood,  biscuit  may  be  baked  in  from  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes, 
that  will  compare  verj'f  avo^ably  with  the  home  product. 

With  a  little  experimenting  the  novice  can  turn  out  creditable 
work,  provided  he  does  not  try  too  many  recipes  at  first.  Go 
slowly  at  the  start  and  get  confidence. 


82  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

Life  in  the  open  should,  above  all,  cultivate  a  spirit  of  Jregard 
for  the  other  fellow's  rights,  and  a  part  of  that  fellow's  rights 
is  that  you  leave  the  woods  in  as  good  shape  as  you  found  them. 
Do  not  leave  behind  unsightly  refuse  matter;  tidy  up  the  place 
before  leaving.  If  you  cannot  sympathize  with  these  sentiments, 
better  stick  to  the  town.  But  the  life  of  the  canoe  cruiser,  worked 
in  a  fair  and  square  way,  offers  one  of  the  most  attractive 
and  beneficial  vacations  one  can  spend,  and  if  he  can  handle  the 
cook's  job,  he  can  give  himself  and  his  friends  added  pleasure. 


PART  II 


BOYS' AND  GIRLS' 
CAMPS 


81  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBABY. 

CAMPING  FOR  BOYS  AND  GIRLS 

By  George  T.  Hepbron 

Camping  needs  no  word  of  praise  or  commendation  from 
anyone,  as  the  value  of  this  form  of  spending  a  summer  has 
long  since  established  itself  favorably  in  the  minds  of  intelli- 
gent parents  as  the  very  best  way  for  real  girls  and  boys,  with 
red  blood  in  their  veins,  to  spend  a  profitable  vacation  under 
the  most  favorable  circumstances  from  every  standpoint — 
health,  character,  recreation. 

The  director  and  his  councilors  are  responsible  for  the 
"atmosphere"  of  the  camp;  and,  as  their  personal  character  is 
reflected  in  the  actions  of  the  boys,  it  is  mighty  important  that 
they  be  the  right  kind  of  men  or  women. 

Hero  worship  is  a  strong  factor  in  the  makeup  of  girls  and 
boys  of  the  camping  age,  and  this  makes  it  all  the  more  im- 
portant that  the  councilors  or  leaders,  as  they  are  sometimes 
called,  should  be  men  or  women  of  true  and  tried  character, 
refinement  and  enthusiasm,  with  a  knowledge  of  boys  and  girls, 
and  of  that  indescribable  temperament  which  at  the  same  time 
makes  them  congenial  companions  as  well  as  wise  leaders. 

Councilors  are  selected  very  carefully  by  the  directors  of 
all  camps  of  which  I  am  acquainted,  most  of  them  being  col- 
lege trained  and  of  exceptionally  high  character. 

Boys  and  girls  for  these  camps  are  selected  with  the  same 
care  by  the  directors  as  they  exercise  in  engaging  councilors. 

Only  girls  and  boys  who  are  willing,  voluntarily,  to  conform 
to  the  few  fundamental  rules  are  considered,  and  a  misunder- 
standing of  the  purpose  of  any  camp  and  a  failure  to  conform 
to  conduct  that  respects  the  best  interests  of  the  camp  and  the 
rights  of  others  usually  results  in  the  camp  losing  the  presence 
of  this  boy  or  girl,  so  they  may  be  free  to  go  elsewhere  for 
the  remainder  of  the  season. 

This  does  not  often  occur,  as  the  intuition  and  long  experi- 


:    SPALDING'S    ATHLBTIO    LIBRARY.  8S 

ence  of  the  directors  in  selecting  members  for  his  or  her  camp 
has  made  them  good  students  of  human  nature. 

One  interview  with  the  applicant  and  the  parents  usually  is 
sufficient  to  make  a  right  decision. 

Boys  and  girls  going  to  camp  expect  to  have  a  good  time 
under  normal  conditions,  and,  believe  me,  they  have  it  to  their 
fill;  and  all  winter,  before  some  of  them  have  even  decided  to 
attend  a  camp,  the  director  is  planning  for  their  sports,  trips, 
entertainment  and  education  along  lines  that  will  meet  with  the 
full  approval  of  every  boy  and  girl  who  have  the  right  stuff 
in  them. 

Parents,  especially  mothers,  are  often  loathe  to  part  with 
their  girl  or  boy  for  so  long  a  period,  "so  far  away  from 
home,"  in  an  environment  totally  different  from  the  home  life. 
This  is  perfectly  natural,  but  in  a  well-conducted  camp  the 
director  has  anticipated  this  i condition,  and  in  conjunction 
with  his  councilors  has  planned  to  dispel  this  anxiety  by  being 
temporary  fathers  and  mothers  to  the  girls  or  boys  in  a  way — 
pardon  the  statement— that  makes  for  a  larger  degree  of  manli- 
ness or  womanliness  than  if  they  were  home. 

This  seems  like  an  extravagant  statement,  but  the  parents 
who  have  had  a  girl  or  boy  at  camp,  I  am  positive,  will  attest 
to  the  truth  of  this  statement. 

The  day's  order  is  planned  for  the  week,  so  that  everyone 
in  camp  has  something  to  do  which  is  enjoyable  and  beneficial. 
Groups  are  selected  and  with  a  councilor  go  off  to  indulge  in 
the  activities  planned  for  that  day. 

During  the  period  at  camp  the  following  takes  place  under 
supervision  conducted  in  such  a  wise  manner  that  it  is  not 
recognized  by  the  girl  or  boy — in  fact,  co-operation  is  a  better 
word.  In  a  well-conducted  camp  all  activities,  whether  mental 
or  physical,  are  so  planned  as  to  produce,  along  the  line  of  least 
resistance,  the  following:  Character,  manliness,  in  boys*  camps; 
womanliness  in  girls*  camps;  right  relations  to  others;  love 
for  nature  and  animals;  respect  for  authority;  promptness,  etc. 


86  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

HOW  A  CAMP  IS  CONDUCTED 

By  George  T.  Hepbron 

It  has  been  suggested  that  a  chapter  outlining  the  best  methods 
for  organizing  and  conducting  the  now  popular  camps  for  boys 
and  girls,  which  have  come  to  be  a  feature  of  the  summer  life 
of  this  continent,  might  well  be  included  in  this  book.  The  author 
has  had  the  advantage  of  considerable  experience  in  summer 
camps  of  all  kinds  and  has  visited  many  camps  for  boys  and 
girls  in  the  course  of  his  own  wide  travels  in  vacation  territory 
and  is  glad  to  record  here  some  suggestions  as  to  the  best  methods 
of  starting  and  maintaining  these  healthful  and  interesting  estab- 
lishments. 

The  first  essential  in  a  successful  summer  camp,  for  either 
boys  or  girls,  is  a  leader  or  camp  director  who  shall  have  mag- 
netic personality,,  high  character,  genuine  love  for  young  folks 
and  real  fondness  for  nature.  It  is  not  enough  that  there  shall 
be  expensive  or  elaborate  equipment,  for  these  things  are  secon- 
dary to  that  stimulating  and  beneficial  influence  which  comes  from 
daily,  personal  association  with  leaders  of  fine  ideals  and  rounded 
character.  Given  the  right  leader  or  organizer,  there  is  almost 
absolute  certainty  that  the  camp  will  be  a  success.  The  argu- 
ment for  the  summer  camp  for  boys  and  girls  is  so  strong  and 
is  now  so  widely  recognized  that  the  thoughtful  fathers  and 
mothers  of  the  country  are  almost  unanimously  agreed  that  the 
youngsters  thrive  better  and  have  better  times  in  such  summer 
environment  than  could  possibly  come  to  them  in  the  artificial 
life  of  the  average  summer  resort. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  standard  of  the  average  summer  camp 
for  either  boys  or  girls  is  remarkably  high.  As  a  rule  the 
organizers  of  these  enterprises  have  early  learned  that  parents 
will  not  entrust  their  young  children  in  the  charge  of  any  claimant 
not  fully  recommended  by  persons  of  high  standing  in  the  com- 


:^»|K*S    *•'    f*^ 


CAMP  WOWASTE. 


CAMP  MINNE-WAWA,  ALGONQUIN  NATIONAL  PARK,  ONTAlCiO,  UAxN, 


.1        I     II 
1,    1 « cii.n -<■;.!,  fioetV  2i '^TeacSiiR^  novices  to  hurdle;     3,   War  Canoe  party; 


4,  Aqua-planing  near  beach. 


CAMP  TECUMSEH 


SPALDINGTS    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  87 

munity.    The  bulk  of  the  summer  camps  are  in  charge  of  college 
graduates  who  have  followed  educational  pursuits. 

These  organizers  have  in  turn  drawn  around  them  helpers 
who  are,  like  themselves,  college  trained,  and  it  is  almost  un- 
necessary to  add  that  few  would  take  positions  in  these  summer 
camps  as  helpers  or  assistants,  with  the  round  of  temper-testing 
experiences  which  must  invariably  accompany  such  a  summer 
vacation,  unless  they  possessed  genuine  interest  in  young  boys 
or  girls.  That  interest  almost  guarantees  fitness  for  the  work. 
The  average  woodsman  or  guide,  often  a  necessary  part  of  the 
camp  equipment,  as  doer  of  the  really  hard  tasks  or  guide  in  the 
more  elaborate  woods*  trips,  may  safely  be  counted  upon  as  fit 
companion  of  young  people.  There  is  a  cleanness  and  spiritual 
element  in  the  life  of  the  real  woodsman  which  makes  him 
almost  invariably  a  suitable  and  inspiring  comrade  for  young 
folks  in  the  woods. 

The  location  of  the  summer  camp  for  boys  or  girls  is  most  im- 
portant. It  should  be  healthful,  close  to  good  supply  of  pure 
drinking  water,  near  some  lake  or  river  where  water  sports  may 
be  enjoyed  and  in  such  forest  environment  as  affords  opportunity 
for  the  youngsters  to  learn  some  of  the  habits  of  the  wild  crea- 
tures and  some  of  the  endless  lore  of  the  woods.  There  should 
be  abundance  of  firewood  handy,  for  no  single  influence  of  the 
summer  camp  will  so  immediately  appeal  to  the  young  people  or 
offer  such  remarkable  opportunity  for  potent  influence  upon 
their  susceptible  lives,  as  the  rendezvous  about  the  camp  fire. 
There  should  be  selected,  if  possible,  a  location  facing  the  west 
rather  than  any  other  point  of  the  compass,  for  the  sunset  pic- 
tures across  the  waters  of  the  placid  lake  will  be  found  the 
choicest  benediction  of  nature  to  the  young  lives  into  which  it 
enters.  There  should  be  good  bathing  facilities,  with  a  safe, 
shelving  beach  for  the  beginners  at  swimming  and,  if  possible, 
deep  water  for  those  who  are  or  become  expert.  There  should 
be  safe  and  well  arranged  landing  for  canoes  or  other  water 
craft. 

Owing  to  the  natural  solicitude  of  many  parents  concerning 


88  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

their  children  when  separated  for  long  periods  there  should  be 
some  easy  and  quick  means  of  communication  with  the  outside 
world.  The  writer  knew  of  one  anxious  mother,  whose  little 
boy  was  in  a  camp  in  Maine,  who  suddenly  became  obsessed  with 
a  fear  that  something  had  happened  to  the  youngster.  No  quick 
means  of  communication  being  at  hand,  she  made  the  long,  hard 
trip  into  the  woods — to  find  her  boy  the  picture  of  sunburned 
health. 

The  physical  equipment  of  the  summer  camp  for  either  boys 
or  girls  need  not  be  elaborate  but  it  should  be  ample  and  suitable. 
There  is  no  reason  for  carrying  into  the  woods  all  the  burden- 
some details  of  effete  civilization.  The  youngsters  will  feel  more 
thoroughly  in  touch  with  the  spirit  of  nature  if  there  is  just  a 
little  spice  of  "roughing  it";  which  need  imply  no  breaking 
down  of  the  refinements  of  civilized  life  nor  weakening  of  the 
standards  of  the  best  homes.  Many  of  the  best  men  of  the 
country  take  real  delight  in  donning  flannel  shirts  and  eating  flap- 
jacks around  an  open  fire,  whenever  and  for  as  long  as  their 
business  affairs  permit;  their  children  have  this  inherent  desire 
to  get  away  from  the  conventional  and  the  habitual  even  more 
strongly  than  have  their  parents. 

Good  beds,  which  may  mean  cots  raised  above  the  floor  or 
merely  beds  from  the  forest  balsams,  "boughed  down  with  care," 
as  a  guide  once  put  it  to  the  writer,  are  one  of  the  first  essen- 
tials. They  may  be  under  roofs  of  log  cabins,  rough  frame 
bungalows  or  tents ;  there  is  a  strong  preference  among  boys  for 
the  tent  rather  than  the  wood  house  and  strong  preference  among 
girls  for  the  house  rather  than  the  tent.  Blankets  are  invariably 
required  among  almost  all  camps  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
United  States  during  the  summer  and  in  some  camps  sheets  are 
used. 

There  are  a  few  camps  where  the  young  patrons  are  allowed  to 
wear  almost  anything  they  please.  There  are  many  disadvantages 
to  this  plan.  It  emphasizes  differences  of  wealth  and  standing, 
since  some  will  be  elaborately  and  expensively  equipped  and 
others  will  bring  old  clothes.    Few  parents  know  the  right  equip- 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  89 

ment  for  these  camps.  The  better  plan  is  the  regular  camp  uni- 
form or  costume  as  supplied  to  many  of  the  leading  camps  of 
the  country  by  A.  G.  Spalding  &  Bros.  There  is  nothing  in 
this  arrangement  to  give  any  boy  or  girl  social  advantages  over 
any  other;  the  uniform  makes  a  neat  appearance  either  in 
camp  or  on  any  of  the  outings  of  the  youngsters  and  the  wearers 
are  always  easily  to  be  noted.  A  uniform  not  only  will  prevent 
a  boy  from  falling  into  temptation  which  the  ordinary  daily  cos- 
tume might  suggest  as  a  cover,  but  will  likewise  serve  to  differ- 
entiate him,  and  often  avoid  the  odium  which  might  attach  to 
an  escapade  in  which  he  could  very  easily  be  wrongfully  included 
if  there  was  no  means  of  identification.  Besides  which,  a  uni- 
form on  a  well  conducted  party  of  boys  gives  a  camp  better 
advertising  than  tons  of  printers*  ink.  All  sorts  of  colors  and 
combinations  are  possible  and  the  general  design  of  the  gar- 
ments are  the  result  of  the  experience  of  the  leading  conductors 
of  boys'  camps. 

The  following  is  a  typical  list  of  the  outfit  as  supplied  to  many 
of  the  largest  boys'  camp  of  the  country  by  A.  G.  Spalding  & 
Bros. : 

BOYS'  CAMP. 
1  No.  C300B  Hat,  cloth,  gray,  one  inch  monogram  embroidered 
on  front  in  camp  colors. 

1  No.  C600  Shirt,  worsted,  sleeveless,  with  camp  monogram  in 

camp  colors. 

2  No.  C6E   Shirts,  cotton,  sleeveless,   with  camp  monogram  in 

camp  colors. 

2  No.  C406G  Shirts,  flannel,  full  sleeves,  two  pockets,  camp  mono- 
gram on  left  pocket. 

2  Pairs  No.  C5D  Flappers,  khaki. 

1  Pair  No.  C3CL  Trousers,  duck,  white,  loops  for  belt,  cuffs. 

1  No.  C4R  Swimming  Suit,  one  piece,  fine  quality. 

1  Pair  No.  C2  Tights,  cut  worsted,  short,  silky  finish. 

2  Pairs  No.  33R  Stockings,  wool,  white  feet,  medium  weight. 
1  No.  C725  Belt,  leather,  nickel  buckle. 


go  SPALDINQ'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRABT. 

1  No.  CWDJP   Sweater,   worsted,  medium  weight,   coat  style, 

reversible  collar. 

2  Pairs  No.  CI  Shoes,  canvas,  white  rubber  soles,  best  quality, 

low  cut. 

1  Pair  No.  CI  Moccasins,  leather  soles,  spring  heel. 

The  outfit  for  girls'  camps,  as  supplied  by  A.  G.  Spalding  & 
Bros.,  to  many  of  the  leading  girls'  camps  of  the  country  is  as 
follows : 

GIRLS'  CAMP. 

4  No.  Ill  White  Middy  Blouses.     1  No.  C20  Belt. 

2  No.  112  Khaki  Middy  Blouses.     1  No.  CMKH  Half  Kerchief. 
2  Pairs  No.  224  Poplin  Blooomers.  1  No.  CX  Windsor  Tie. 

1  Pair  No.  220  Serge  Bloomers.  2  No.  4RL  Bathing  Suits. 
1  Pair  No.  219  Khaki  Bloomers.  3  No.  CSH'  Bathing  Caps. 
1  No.  C505  White  Duck  or  Khaki     1  No.  WJP  Sweater. 

Hat.  1  Pair  No.  C3  Mocassins,  or 

6  Pairs  Tan  Stockings.  1  Pair  Sneakers. 

1  Pair  No.  C6D  Army  Blankets.       1  No.  CS  Camping  Kit. 
1  No.  C2y2  Rubber  Blanket.  1  No.  CM  Canteen. 

1  No.  C280  Rain  Coat.  1  Tennis  Racket. 

1  No.  C420  Hat,  sou'wester.  1  Hockey  Stick. 

1  Pair  No.  CWHB  Hiking  Shoes.  1  Basket  Ball. 
1  Pair    No.  WCB  Athletic  Shoes. 

A  tennis  racket  is  usually  a  necessary  part  of  the  athletic 
equipment.  Tennis  racket,  hockey  stick  and  basket  balls  are 
selected  from  Athletic  Department. 

In  addition  to  these  items  it  is  wise  for  the  young  folks  to  have 
as  part  of  the  personal  equipment  of  each,  the  following  items : 

BOYS'  CAMP. 

1  No.  C420  Hat,  sou'wester,  oiled,  lined,  waterproof. 

2  No.  C6D  Blanket,  wool,  West  Point  gray. 
1  No.  0214  Blanket,  rubber,  45x72  inches. 

1  No.  CI  Poncho,  rubber,  66x72  inches,  or 
1  No.  C336  Poncho,  oiled,  54x72  inches. 

1  No.  CSB  Camp  kit,  consisting  of  aluminum  cup,  spoon,  plate 
and  a  combination  knife  and  fork. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBABY.  M 

1  No.  CM  Canteen,  metal,  felt  inside  canvas  covered,  shoulder 

strap,  Vi  gallon. 

2  No.  C271  Towels,  Turkish,  extra  heavy,  plain  white. 
1  Pair  No.  BT  Shoes,  tramping,  high  cut. 

There  is  a  tendency  among  these  camps  for  boys  and  girls  to 
allow  the  matter  of  exercise  largely  to  adjust  itself.  The  result 
often  is  that  energetic  and  restless  young  people  get  more  exer- 
cise than  is  good  for  them  and  the  more  phlegmatic  or  anaemic 
youngsters  get  too  little.  There  is  therefore  distinct  advantage 
in  regulating  periods  of  sports  in  which  all  the  members  of  the 
camp  are  urged  if  not  required  to  participate.  The  water  sports 
will  be  overdone  in  almost  every  case  unless  strict  attention  is 
paid  to  the  camp  life  while  other  fine  and  developing  sports, 
such  as  lawn  tennis,  base  ball,  basket  ball  or  volley  ball,  are 
neglected.  Too  much  time  should  not  be  spent  in  the  water  by 
growing  children  or  young  people. 

A  delightful  variety  of  wholesome  and  fascinating  land  sports 
are  now  available  for  the  members  of  these  camps.  Some  of 
these  have  so  recently  come  into  vogue  as  not  to  have  been  in- 
corporated in  the  programme  of  a  few  of  the  camps.  Among  the 
boys'  camps  the  following  sports  may  be  suggested  and  recom- 
mended: Base  ball,  among  the  members  of  the  camp,  or  playing 
rival  camps  or  even  local  town  teams;  volley  ball,  the  new  and 
fast  game  which  has  so  rapidly  caught  the  fancy  of  American 
youths;  basket  ball,  unquestionably  the  most  widely  popular  in- 
door game  in  the  country  and  especially  adapted  for  play  in  the 
out  of  doors;  foot  ball,  or  even  the  passing  of  the  foot  ball 
in  the  start  of  imaginary  plays;  medicine  ball,  putting  the  shot 
and  all  forms  of  tumbling,  wrestling  and  athletic  drilling.  There 
should  be,  on  the  part  of  every  member  of  the  leader's  corps, 
a  persistent  effort  to  urge  every  youngster  in  the  camp  to  par- 
ticipate in  some  or  all  of  these  sports  and  failing  in  the  enlist- 
ment of  such  interest  by  urging,  there  should  be  positive  in- 
sistence upon  these  sports  by  those  boys  who  need  them  most. 
It  is  always  the  case  that  there  are  athletic  young  fellows  in 


9B  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

every  camp  who  will  lead  any  form  of  sport;  it  is  just  these 
young  fellows  who  ought  not  to  be  allowed  to  monopolize  the 
good  effects  of  regular  outdoor  games  and  sports. 

In  the  list  of  games  suitable  for  girls'  camps  may  be  men- 
tioned the  following:  Base  ball,  with  the  softer  ball  now  pro- 
vided for  girls'  use;  lawn  tennis,  basket  ball,  volley  ball,  kicking 
or  passing  the  foot  ball,  medicine  ball,  tether  tennis,  archery, 
fencing,  roque  and  croquet.  Some  of  these  sports  have  special 
advantages  little  suspected  by  those  unfamiliar  with  them;  put- 
ting the  lightweight  shot,  for  instance,  is  about  as  fine  practice 
for  golf,  where  no  golf  is  available,  as  could  be  imagined,  since 
it  encourages  steadiness  of  pose,  strength  of  arm  muscles  and 
even  control  of  the  swing  of  the  body.  Fencing  is  much  too 
little  employed  among  the  trainers  of  young  girls  in  athletic  mat- 
ters; it  is  unsurpassed  for  the  development  of  grace,  suppleness 
and  carriage. 

Every  camp,  whether  for  boys  or  girls,  is  a  law  unto  itself 
in  the  matter  of  the  day's  programme.  The  location  of  the 
camp  and  the  specific  objects  of  its  leaders  influence  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  day's  doings.  But  for  the  information  of  the 
interested  reader  an  excellent  programme  is  presented  herewith, 
as  followed  in  many  of  the  best  known  boys'  camps  in  the 
country,  also  one  from  a  girls'  camp : 


BOYS'  CAMP. 


A.M. 

Daily  Programme. 

7.00 

(Rising  bugle. 

7.05 

Setting-up  exercises. 

7.15 

Morning  plunge. 

7.45 

Breakfast. 

8.30 

Inspection. 

9.12 

Boating,  canoeing,  athletics,  manual  training,  photography, 

nature  study,  tutoring,  etc. 

11.00 

Swim. 

12.00 

Dinner. 

SPAIJ)ING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBABT.  98 

P.M. 

12.45-1.45    Rest,  no  physical  exertion. 
1.45-4.30    Base  ball,   tennis,   athletics,  basket  ball,  volley  ball, 

archery. 
4.30  Afternoon  swim. 
5.30    Supper. 

Rest  after  supper  30  minutes. 
8.00    Assembly  for  camp  fire,  stories,  games,  entertainments. 
9.00    Evening  prayers,  singing. 
9.15    Good  night. 
9.30    Lights  out,  perfect  quiet,  asleep. 

On  Sunday  each  boy  is  expected  to  write  a  letter  home  and 
to  attend  church. 

GIRLS'  CAMP. 

A.M.  Order  of  Exercises. 

7.00    Reveille. 

7.10-7.30    Setting-up  exercises,  dip,  tennis,  archery,  volley  ball, 
basket  ball,  playground  ball. 

7.30    Breakfast. 

8.30-11.30    Riding,  sports. 

8.30-  9.00    Inspection. 

9.00-11.30    Handcrafts, 
12.00    Dinner. 
p.  M. 

1.00-  2.00.    Rest  hour. 

2.00-  4.00.    Land  and  water  sports. 

2.00-  5.00.    Horseback  riding 

4.00    Swimming. 

6.00    Supper. 

6.30-7.45    Land  and  water  sports. 

8.00-9.00    Social  hour,  dancing,  theatricals,  reading  log,  etc 

9.00    Call  to  quarters, 

9J0    Lights  out. 


94  SPAIiDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

THE   RELATION    OF    CAMP    ATHLETICS 
TO  CHARACTER  BUILDING 

By  George  W.  Orton. 

Director  of  Camp  Tecumseh  and  Athletic  Director  University 

of  Pennsylvania- 

The  relation  of  camp  athletics  to  character  building  is  a  matter 
that  is  seriously  considered  by  all  those  who  are  making  a  study 
of  the  ways  and  means  of  obtaining  the  best  results  from  camp 
life.  Most  summer  camps  make  a  big  feature  of  their  athletics. 
This  is  true  except  for  those  camps  that  are  chiefly  interested  in 
canoe  trips  and  on  that  account  are  so  situated  that  they  have 
not  the  facilities  for  developing  any  system  of  athletics  through- 
out the  camp.  Parents  are  coming  more  and  more  to  realize 
that  the  benefits  of  athletics  are  not  only  physical,  but  in  a  great 
measure  also  mental  and  moral.  Those  who  have  had  much  to  do 
with  developing  boys  have  noted  time  and  time  again  the  great 
effect  that  athletics  have  on  the  character  development  of  the 
boys  interested.  Several  years  ago  a  boy  at  Camp  Tecumseh, 
after  running  a  quarter  mile  race,  was  called  into  the  office  of 
the  camp  by  the  head  of  the  organization.  "You  showed  a  yellow 
streak  this  morning,"  said  the  head  of  the  camp  to  the  boy.  This 
abrupt  declaration  by  the  camp  director  completely  knocked  the 
boy  off  his  pins  and  he  vehemently  disclaimed  any  idea  that  he 
was  yellow.  "You  have  more  speed  than  your  opponent,  you 
have  often  shown  that  you  can  run  further,  but  simply  because 
you  could  not  shake  him  off  and  because  he  stuck  to  you  with 
grim  determination,  at  last  you  gave  in  and  he  beat  you,"  said 
the  director.  "You  certainly  showed  a  yellow  streak  and  as  you 
are  only  a  boy,  now  is  the  time  to  think  about  it  and  to  make 
up  your  mind  whether  you  are  going  to  be  a  coward  in  your 
athletics  from  now  on  or  not.  Now  I  want  to  leave  you  to 
yourself  for  a  little  while  so  that  you  can  think  it  over  and 
when  I  come  back  I  expect  you  frankly  to  acknowledge  that  you 


1,  Senior  Camp ;  2,  Swimmingr  Meet ;  3,  Sigmund  Neustadt  Memorial  feuildihg. 
SURPRISE  LAKE  CAMP,  COLD  SPRING-ON-HUDSON.  N.  Y. 


KAMP  KILL  RARE,  ON  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN,  VERMONT 


;i^ 


mm 


kM^~ 


m 


KAMP  KIWASSA,  OXFORD,  MAINE 


SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LXBBABT.  « 

were  yellow  this  morning  and  to  promise  that  you  will  not  show 
the  white  feather  again."  Thereupon  the  camp  director  left  the 
boy  and  did  not  return  for  some  fifteen  minutes.  The  boy  then 
stated  that  after  thinking  the  matter  over  he  felt  that  he  had 
shown  a  streak  of  yellow  and  he  declared  that  he  would  not  give 
any  evidence  of  it  again.  That  boy  became  one  of  the 
greatest  scholastic  athletes  in  this  country.  He  has  shown  him- 
self fearless  and  plucky  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  lesson 
he  got  that  morning  was  a  big  factor  in  his  development  along 
this  line. 

The  above  is  a  definite  individual  example  of  what  can  be 
done  through  athletics  in  the  development  of  a  boy's  character 
along  the  lines  of  courage  and  determination. 

Boxing  is  a  sport  which  is  practised  at  many  camps  and  is  one 
that  should  be  encouraged  because  of  its  aid  in  developing  manli- 
ness and  self-control.  How  often  at  camp  does  one  see  two 
little  fellows  in  their  first  boxing  match.  The  first  time  that  one 
of  the  little  fellows  gets  a  good  crack  over  the  eye  he  is  quite 
liable  to  stop  and  to  begin  to  cry.  If  this  matter  is  handled  right 
the  boy's  self-esteem  will  not  be  hurt  and  it  will  only  be  a  matter 
of  ten  days  or  so  until  the  same  little  fellow  will  be  standing 
up  to  an  opponent  getting  the  same  knock  and  not  thinking  any- 
thing about  it.  The  older  boys  also  get  through  boxing  a  degree 
of  self-control  that  is  worth  much  to  them  later  on.  ^ 

Base  ball  and  other  team  sports  are  also  most  valuable  aids 
in  developing  the  character  of  boys.  In  base  ball,  as  in  other 
team  games,  the  boy  must  learn  to  give  away  to  the  best  interest 
of  the  team.  He  must  learn  to  "sacrifice,"  if  the  order  for  a 
sacrifice  is  given,  even  though  he  would  much  prefer  to  knock 
it  to  the  woods.  He  must  learn  to  be  courageous  enough  to  slide 
to  bases,  to  stand  up  to  the  plate  and  to  do  many  other  things 
that  will  develop  self-control  and  courage  in  him.  He  must  also 
learn  to  recognize  that  the  boy  who  displaces  him  on  the  team 
is  a  better  boy  than  he  is  and  that  the  best  way  to  get  back  on 
the  team  is  to  get  down  to  business,  work  hard  and  earn  his  way 
back.     Such  lessons  as  these   for  the   growing  boy  are  really 


96  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC   LIBRAHT. 

i 

invaluable  as  they  have  a  direct  influence  on  his  character  md 
strengthen  him  on  the  very  lines  that  are  necessary  for  him  if 
later  on  he  is  to  be  a  success  in  business  or  professional  life. 

The  individual  games,  such  as  track  and  field  athletics,  tennis, 
swimming,  etc.,  are  also  all  valuable  aids  in  developing  a  boy's 
character.  In  these  individual  sports,  the  boy  must  learn  to  de- 
pend upon  himself.  He  is  opposed  directly  to  other  individuals 
and  it  is  soon  brought  home  to  him  that  in  order  to  do  well  he 
must  practice  faithfully  and  must  gain  a  high  degree  of  skill 
in  whatever  event  he  is  participating.  The  field  events,  hurdle 
races,  rowing,  swimming,  etc.,  are  also  very  valuable  in  teaching 
a  boy  concentration  of  mind  and  self-control.  In  field  events,  it 
is  necessary  first  of  all  to  obtain  the  required  style  for  the  event. 
For  instance,  in  high  jumping  the  boy  must  put  a  great  deal  of 
attention  on  the  way  in  which  he  throws  his  body  over  the  bar. 
To  do  this  he  must  concentrate  probably  much  more  keenly  than 
he  ever  does  in  his  studies.  There  is  no  denying  the  fact  that 
in  mastering  the  various  sports  and  games  boys  generally  develop 
more  concentration  than  in  any  other  way.  For  this  reason 
fi.eld  sports  and  athletics  in  general  are  very  valuable  factors  in 
developing  concentration  of  mind.  The  individual  sports  spoken 
of  above  are  also  a  great  aid  in  bringing  out  individuality  in  the 
boy  and  in  developing  courage  and  determination.  In  such  sports 
the  boy  finds  himself  opposed  directly  to  some  other  individual 
and  he  must  do  his  very  best  or  it  can  be  seen  at  once.  The  boy 
must  measure  himself  with  the  others  and  he  feels  at  once 
whether  he  is  superior  or  not.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  in  some 
respects  these  individual  sports  are  more  valuable  in  the  training 
of  a  boy  than  are  the  team  games.  They  are,  undoubtedly,  so 
as  far  as  the  development  of  concentration  of  mind  and  courage 
are  concerned. 

One  of  the  best  features  of  athletics  at  a  camp  or  any  insti- 
tution, is  the  generous  feelings  that  are  developed  throughout 
the  boys  on  the  various  teams.  The  boy  in  his  athletics  learns 
self-sacrifice  in  very  many  ways.  How  often  do  we  see  a  boy 
on  a  base  ball  team,  for  instance,  teaching  another  boy  the  finer 


SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBRART.  97 

points  of  catching  or  batting  or  sliding  to  bases,  even  though  he 
knows  that  that  boy  may  later  on  displace  him  from  the  team. 
The  boy's  idea  is  to  do  his  best  for  the  team  and  this  spirit 
will  help  him  greatly  in  after  life  in  business  and  in  society. 

Summing  up,  I  would  state  that  athletics  are  one  of  the  biggest 
factors  in  the  life  of  any  camp  because  they  have  a  direct  in- 
fluence upon  the  character  of  the  boys.  They  develop  courage, 
self-control,  self-sacrifice,  keenness  of  eye,  and  an  all  around 
ability  to  handle  oneself  physically,  and  a  general  sturdiness  of 
character  that  is  appreciated  by  all.  In  addition  to  the  real  bene- 
fits to  character,  through  their  athletics,  the  boys  get  a  vast 
amount  of  enjoyment  and  they  make  some  of  their  very  best 
friends  while  engaging  in  sports.  No  summer  camp,  unless  as 
stated  previously  having  as  its  aim  canoe  trips,  etc.,  could  afford 
to  abolish  athletics  from  its  sphere  of  activity. 

The  question  of  whether  athletics  in  summer  camps  should  be 
confined  entirely  to  the  camp  itself,  or  to  competition  with  other 
camps,  is  one  that  must  be  decided  by  circumstances.  If  suitable 
opponents  can  be  found,  competition  with  other  camps  should  be 
engaged  in  because  it  emphasizes  the  various  benefits  spoken  of 
above.  Inter-camp  athletics  will  also  develop  an  esprit  de  corps 
throughout  camp,  which  is  valuable  not  only  to  the  camp,  but 
to  the  boys.  Such  a  spirit  will  help  the  boys  in  their  determina- 
tion to  do  their  very  best  and  it  will  also  spread  throughout  the 
camp  a  feeling  of  comradeship,  which  is  very  valuable  to  all 
concerned. 


•PAIi»IN6'S    ATHLBTIO   LIBRARY. 


INTELLECTUAL  RECREATION  AT  CAMP 

By  Dr.  George  Alexander  Kohut 
Director  of  Kamp  Kohut,  Oxford,  Maine. 

As  an  oflFset  to  the  strenuous  activities  of  camp  life,  with  its 
diversified  sports  and  athletic  routine,  it  is  well  to  encourage 
diversions  and  recreations  which  give  the  boy  not  only  a  rest 
period  but  a  definite  interest  in  something  which  appeals  to  his 
emotional  and  spiritual  nature. 

A  feature  of  any  well  organized  camp  is  the  compulsory  siesta, 
usually  after  the  principal  meal,  at  midday.  Boys  should 
be  required  to  stretch  out  on  their  cots  and  to  relax.  If  they 
are  not  able  to  sleep,  they  should  be  encouraged  to  lie  perfectly 
still  or  to  read  some  absorbing  book.  It  is  obviously  perilous 
to  permit  them  to  be  at  large,  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  after 
a  heavy  meal. 

Perhaps  the  most  important  phases  of  camp  life  are  certain 
group  activities,  established  under  wise  and  competent  leader- 
ship. These  may  be  either  clubs,  for  the  purpose  of  reading  or 
debate;  nature  study  classes,  for  the  observation  of  the  flora 
and  fauna;  dramatic  societies,  and  other  forms  of  entertain- 
ment, which  are  numerous  and  varied,  according  to  the  resources 
of  the  men  and  women  in  charge  of  camp  organizations. 

In  our  own  camp  we  have  found  it  a  pleasure  to  interest  boys 
in  dramatics.  In  this  field  a  boy  is  naturally  at  home.  One  does 
not  find  it  difficult^  to  discover  latent  talent  in  almost  every  in- 
dividual. Every  boy  is  an  actor.  At  every  camp  there  is 
abundant  human  material  for  this  form  of  entertainment.  We 
have  reproduced  quite  a  number  of  popular  plays  as  given  in 
New  York,  and  guests  who  had  seen  these  performances  are 
enthusiastic  in  their  endorsement  and  admiration  and  maintaia 
that  they  compare  favorably  with  the  work  of  professionals. 

A  notable  educational  feature  is  a  series  of  illustrated  trave- 
logues.    The  director  and  members  of  his  faculty  can  easily 


SPALBINQ'S    ATHLETIO    LIBRARY.  99 

hoW  a  group  of  boys  by  telling  them  something  of  their  varied 
experiences.  In  addition  to  these,  addresses  by  distinguished 
men  on  various  topics  likely  to  interest  the  average  boy,  would 
be  welcome  for  an  evening's  entertainment. 

Altogether,  it  may  be  recommended  as  a  good  working  prin- 
ciple, that  a  boy's  mental  and  spiritual  life  should  not  be  suf- 
fered to  lie  fallow  during  the  fruitful  vacation  period,  when  a 
boy,  in  his  formative  years,  will  carry  with  him  impressions 
which  will  remain  through  life  and  which  should  help  him  in  his 
future  career  of  usefulness  as  a  citizen. 


SPALDINO'a  ATHLBTIO  LIBRABT. 


"THE  LONG  HIKE." 

By  Eugene  H.  Lehman 
Director  Highland  Nature  Club,  South  Naples,  Me. 

On  the  first  Saturday  evening  in  July,  when  the  Highland 
Nature  Club  lassies,  having  assembled  to  participate  in  the  cere- 
monies connected  with  lighting  the  opening  campfire  of  the  sea- 
son, instructions  are  given  out  relative  to  the  big  hike.  Girls  are 
then  informed  that  only  fifteen  of  the  fifty  members  of  the 
summer  colony  will  be  chosen  for  this  expedition,  and  that  the 
privilege  will  be  awarded  to  those  who  show  the  best  physical 
condition  and  reveal  in  their  community  life  the  highest  degree 
of  H.  N.  C  spirit. 

From  that  moment,  competition  begins — a  unique  competition 
in  caring  for  one's  body  and  in  obeying  the  laws  of  the  clan. 
The  expert  tennis  player  now  ceases  to  grumble  when  her  less 
skillful  partner  fails  to  return  an  easy  ball;  the  snobbish  girl 
abandons  her  clique;  the  poor  "mixer"  seeks  to  become  a  "good 
fellow." 

Finally,  as  a  result  of  a  fair  competition  in  a  series  of  pre- 
liminary tests,  fifteen  enthusiastic  walkers  and  trained  campers 
win  their  places  in  the  hiking  squads.  After  the  weather  bureau 
has  been  carefully  consulted,  the  day  is  set  for  the  start.  On 
the  evening  before,  each  girl  is  provided  with  a  government 
chart,  showing  the  highway  along  which  the  party  is  to  proceed. 
This  road,  she,  under  the  guidance  of  the  chief  hiking  councilor, 
marks  with  red  ink,  plainly  indicating  the  places  where  every 
meal  is  to  be  taken  and  where  the  night  is  to  be  spent.  Further, 
she  it  told  of  the  points  of  literary,  geographical,  or  historical 
interest  that  are  to  be  passed  on  the  march,  and  is  then  sent  to 
bed  for  a  good  night's  rest. 

As  the  girls  tramp  along,  their  merry  voices  accord  so  nat- 
urally with  the  songs  of  the  birds  and  the  beauty  of  the  flowers 
that  the  actual  walking  is  almost  forgotten,  when  the  whistle 


SPALDING'S    ATHLBTIO    LIBRARY.  101 

suddenly  gives  the  signal  that  the  six  mile  stage  has  been  covered, 
and  that  th©  time  for  the  two  minute  rest  period  has  therefore 
arrived.  The  hikeri  halt,  but  do  not  iit  down,  for  sitting 
relaxes  the  muscles  and  makes  starting  again  all  th«  mort 
difficult.  At  five  in  the  evening,  camp  is  made  for  the  night. 
By  seven,  supper  is  over,  the  ponchos  spread  out  upon  the  grassy 
turf  in  the  orchard  of  a  kindly-disposed  farmer,  and  soon  the 
girls  are  sleeping  the  reinvigorating  sleep  of  health. 

They  rise  with  the  sun  the  following  morning,  and  after  break- 
fast, they  tip-toe  their  way  to  the  farmer's  cottage,  and  startle 
his  family  by  giving  a  lusty  camp  cheer  in  grateful  recognition 
of  his  hospitality.  With  a  song  on  their  lips,  they  are  off  for 
the  second  day's  march. 

So  the  miles  roll  on,  until  at  five  in  the  evening,  the  hikers 
reach  the  summit  of  Crockett's  hill;  their  campmates  espy  them 
and  rush  to  welcome  their  more  hardy  sisters  with  a  cheer  while 
plying  them  with  innumerable  questions  until  every  adventure 
on  the  hike  is  told  and  retold  to  groups  of  interested  listeners. 

On  the  morrow,  there  is  but  one  topic  of  conversation — ^the 
"Long  Hike"  for  the  next  year. 


108  FPAIJSING'S    ATHLBTIC   LIBBABT. 


A  VACATION  CAMP 

By  Leon  E.  Katzenstein.  / 

Superintendent  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Association,  Lexington 
Avenue  and  Ninety-second  Street,  New  York; 
Administrator  Surprise  Lake  Camp. 

The  growth  of  population  in  our  large  cities  has  developed 
the  "Vacation  Camp,"  varying  from  the  luxurious  lodge  in  the 
Adirondacks,  the  plaything  of  some  millionaire,  to  the  little 
tent  of  a  group  of  boys,  erected  on  the  ocean's  edge,  or  in  a 
grove  on  the  property  of  some  kind-hearted  farmer. 

Of  this  later  type  and  its  development,  I  would  write.  When 
people  lived  more  moderately,  with  room  for  air  and  sunshine 
and  exercise,  and  an  opportunity  for  enjoyment  of  green  grass 
and  waving  trees  and  the  sparkling  waters  of  river  or  lake  or 
ocean,  there  was  not  the  present  crying  need  for  a  period  of 
rest  and  change.  This  has  evolved  with  the  growth  of  industry 
and  the  consequent  development  of  cities. 

To  meet  the  natural  longing  and  actual  needs  of  the  less 
fortunate  boys  and  girls  and  even  men  and  women,  the  "vaca- 
tion camp,"  so  called,  has  been  developed.  A  bit  of  the  history 
of  Surprise  Lake  Camp  owned  jointly  by  the  Educational  Al- 
liance and  the  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Association  of  Man- 
hattan, will  best  illustrate  the  vacation  camp  idea.  Its  slogan, 
"Recreation  Without  Temptation,"  the  words  of  Mr.  Henry  M. 
Toch,  for  many  years  chairman  of  the  Committee  epitomizes 
the  camp  object.  "^ 

From  two  small  camps  on  rented  grounds  on  Long  Island, 
has  grown  the  present  organization,  occupying  its  own  premises 
near  Cold  Spring-on-Hudson.  The  property  comprises  six  hun- 
dred acres  of  rugged  mountain  land,  covered  with  forests  and 
fields  and  orchards  and  encompassing  a  most  picturesque  little 
lake.  The  land  is  so  rugged  that  there  was  not  even  enough 
level  land  for  an  athletic  field,  so  the  only  swampy  spot  on  the 


CAMP  NAMASCHAUG.  SPOFJTORD^  NEW^HAMPSpiRE 


CAMP  HARLElV  J^aUREL  lake,  TYLER  HILL,  PA, 


CAMP  WONPOSET.  BANTAM  LAKE,' COJ^CtlOUT      ' 


1.  A-wor.mjr  of  CoBege  Camp;  %  Camp  minstrel  troupe;  3,  Trying  to  look  civilized. 
'  •    ^JOlilJSiitiE  .GAMP.  CLIFF  HAVEN,  N.  Y. 


SPALDING'S   ATHLBTIO  LIBRABT.  IM 

property  was  graded  and  filled  for  this  purpose.  The  prin- 
cipal structure  at  the  camp  is  the  elaborate  Sigmund  Neustadt 
Memorial  Building,  containing  kitchens  and  mess  halls  for  the 
accommodation  of  three  hundred  campers,  play  rooms  |for 
younger  bOys,  business  and  physician's  offices  and  rooms  for 
visiting  directors. 

In  a  camp  as  large  as  this  (almost  fifteen  hundred  were  ac- 
commodated last  year)  systematic  administration  is  an  im- 
portant requisite.  Not  only  is  the  commissary  carefully  regu- 
lated, but  the  amusements  of  the  campers  must  be  directed,  so 
that  every  facility  may  receive  the  fullest  use.  The  lake,  with 
its  boating,  bathing  and  fishing,  is  constantly  under  the  sur- 
veillance of  life  guards.  A  man  trained  in  sports  is  always  on 
duty  on  the  athletic  field  to  organize  and  assist.  Leaders  take 
groups  for  hikes  and  excursions.  Manual  training  teachers 
interest  boys  in  handicraft.  An  experienced  forester  teaches 
them  the  ways  of  the  woods  and  the  kinds  of  trees  and  their 
value.  There  is  even  an  artist  to  arouse  the  interest  in  and 
appreciation  of  nature. 

This  camp  is  by  no  means  self-supporting.  A  large  section  is 
devoted  to  boys  from  poor  homes  whose  payments  represent 
only  a  fraction  of  the  cost  of  maintenance,  but  all  are  treated 
exactly  alike 

A  camp  like  this  receives  students  and  clerks  of  moderate 
means.  It  gives  them,  during  their  usually  limited  vacations, 
the  opportunity  of  receiving  all  the  benefits  of  life  out  of  doors, 
witkout  the  hardships  which  their  inexperience  would  bring, 
were  they  in  a  crude  camp  and  dependent  on  their  own  efforts 
in  procuring  and  preparing  their  food  and  otherwise  providing 
for  their  personal  necessities. 


lil  SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC  LIBBABY. 


CARE  NECESSARY  IN  CAMP  SELECTION 

By  Ralph  F.  Perry 
Director  Kamp  Kill  Kare,  on  Lake  Champlain,  Vermont. 

The  experimental  stage  of  the  summer  camp  for  boys  has 
passed.  The  value  of  such  camps  is  now  well  recognized. 
Parents,  who  are  able,  prefer  to  have  their  boys'  activities 
supervised  during  the  long  vacations,  rather  than  to  allow  the 
boys  free  rein  to  their  inclinations  with  the  "gangs"  in  their 
native  towns,  or  at  summer  resorts  where  the  social  life  does  not 
provide  a  wholesome  atmosphere  for  the  adolescent. 

Different  camps  provide  different  advantages,  and  parents 
should  make  a  careful  study  of  these  advantages  before  making 
a  selection.  Four  factors  enter  into  such  deliberations.  First, 
the  personnel  of  the  directing  forces;  second,  the  location; 
third,  the  type  of  boys  represented;  and,  lastly,  the  equipment 
should  receive  consideration. 

The  parent  wants  to  feel  sure  that  the  camp  to  which  his  boy 
is  going  for  a  considerable  time  during  the  most  formative 
period  of  his  life,  is  directed  by  men  who  know  and  sympathize 
with  boy  nature,  and  have  had  successful  experience  in  dealing 
with  boys.  He  should  make  sure  that  there  is  a  stability  and  a 
permanency  to  the  organization;  that  conscientious  effort  is  ex- 
pended to  develop  the  best  qualities  in  the  boy.  The  wise  parent 
will  scrupulously  avoid  all  mushroom  organizations,  and  such 
as  have  been  formed  with  no  broader  vision  than  to  make  money. 
The  pitiable  feature  of  the  situation  is  that,  with  the  growing 
need  of  these  camps,  has  sprung  up  a  crop  of  unscrupulous  ex- 
perimenters who  think  they  see,  in  this  business,  an  opportunity 
to  make  some  "easy  money,"  and  who  know  or  care  nothing  for 
the  proper  care  and  supervision  of  youth.  ^\ 

The  second  consideration  is  one  of  locality.  It  is  a  mistake  to 
send  a  boy  to  a  camp  so  remote  from  railroad  accommodations 
that  it  is  inaccessible.  It  should  be  possible  for  parents  fre- 
quently to  visit  their  boys  during  the  summer,  and  access  to 


,^  BPALDINQ'S    ATHLKTIO    LIBRAET.  106 

tenUri  should  be  easy  in  case  of  need.  This  does  not  mean  that 
the  wild,  free  life  of  nature  must  be  sacrificed,  for  there  ar« 
many  camps  not  remote  from  centers  which  yet  afford  all  the 
pleasures  of  the  wildest  regions. 

The  locality  should  be  one  which  affords  water  for  fishing  and 
swimming,  mountains  for  climbing,  land  for  all  kinds  of  sport. 
It  furthermore  should  be  a  site  which  is  high,  and  so  free  from 
all  the  attendant  evils  of  low,  damp  ground.  The  tents  should  be 
pitched  in  a  grove  furnishing  shade,  but  not  too  deep  shade. 
For  this,  maples  and  elms  afford  a  much  more  healthful  atmos- 
phere than  thickest  evergreens. 

Just  a  word  should  be  included  regarding  the  selection  of  boys. 
A  money-making  organization  will  take  a  boy  regardless  of  his 
qualifications.  An  honest  camp  with  an  ideal,  will  see  to  it  that 
no  boy  of  twisted  morals  enters  its  doors.  Moreover,  it  will 
be  as  scrupulous  in  dismissing  boys  who  prove  themselves,  in 
any  way,  unfit  companions. 

Finally,  a  camp  which  intends  to  perform  its  functions  properly 
for  the  growing  boy  should  be  well  equipped  in  all  that  makes 
that  function  possible.  If  boys  over  fourteen  years  of  age  are 
taken,  it  should  be  ascertained  that  such  boys  have  separate 
grounds  and  sleeping  quarters,  widely  removed  from  the  younger 
boys.  A  regulation  base  ball  diamond  for  each  group  should  be 
provided;  tennis  courts,  in  number  enough  to  accommodate  the 
needs  of  all  the  camp,  and  good  enough  to  insure  pleasurable  and 
accurate  play,  are  indispensable;  open  air  gymnasiums,  basket 
ball  courts,  canoes,  rowboats,  motor  boats,  swimming  rafts — all 
should  furnish  their  quota  toward  making  the  boy's  summer 
profitable  and  enjoyable. 

And  most  important  of  all  is  the  consideration  of  sanitation. 
If  pure  drinking  water  is  not  provided  and  sanitary  disposal  of 
all  refuse,  the  camp  is  unsafe  and  no  fit  place  for  summer  occu- 
pation. ^>^' 

If  the  councilors  are  wise  and  kind,  the  location  suitable,  the 
boys  congenial,  and  the  equipment  satisfactory,  no  more  healthful 
or  enjoyable  vacation  can  be  offered  a  boy  than  a  season  in  a 
summer  camp. 


BPALDINS'S   ATHLBTIO   LIBBIST. 

A  BOYS'  CAMP  WITH  A  RELIGIOUS 
ENVIRONMENT 


While  camps  in  general  are  usually  undenominational  and  the 
director  makes  it  a  point  to  see  that  his  charges  attend  the 
services  of  whatever  creed  they  may  profess,  still  many  parents 
prefer  to  entrust  their  boys  to  the  supervision  of  one  of  their 
own  denomination. 

Camp  Namaschaug  at  Spofford,  New  Hampshire,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Very  Rev.  J.  J.  Griffin,  Ph.  D.,  is  a  typical  camp 
of  this  description,  but  the  routine  varies  in  no  wise  from  that 
of  hundreds  of  others.  In  speaking  of  his  ideas  of  camp  life  and 
what  led  to  his  establishment  of  Camp  Namaschaug,  Father 
Griffin  said: 

**Some  years  ago,  the  problem  of  what  to  do  with  the  boys 
was  often  a  perplexing  one  to  parents  who  were  planning  their 
summer  holidays;  for  resorts  which  offered  the  fullest  measure 
of  rest  and  recreation  to  the  other  members  of  the  family 
proved  dull  and  depressing  to  the  boys  when  the  novelty  of  the 
new  environment  wore  off.  Though  the  schools  close  their  doors 
and  books  are  laid  aside,  the  boy's  education  itself  knows  no 
respite  but  continues  on  during  vacation,  and  needs  capable 
experts  for  its  direction  through  the  summer  months  as  well 
as  during  those  of  winter.  Courage,  fortitude*  resolution,  self- 
control,  regard  for  the  rights  of  others,  and  courtesy,  may  be 
inculcated  in  school,  but  they  become  habits  in  a  properly  con- 
ducted camp,  the  true  laboratory  of  character. 

"The  development  of  the  real  boy  calls  for  a  certain  amount 
of  proficiency  in  athletics  on  land  and  water,  and  no  lad  is  going 
to  neglect  any  opportunity  of  attaining  it.  During  the  summer 
months,  away  from  the  restrictions  of  school  life,  and  with  that 
freedom  of  movement  which  comes  from  a  dependence  on  his 


SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC  LIBRABT.  107 

own  resources  for  amusement,  his  search  for  recreation  may 
bring  him  into  aisociations  more  or  less  injurious. 

*'Not  the  least  effective  factor  in  the  success  of  the  Many 
camps  is  the  personnel  of  their  staff  of  instructors.  These  are 
college  men  of  proven  ability;  better,  graduates,  selected  for 
their  sympathetic  interest  in  all  that  concerns  boys.  They  enter 
into  companionship  with  them,  joining  in  their  work  and  play, 
aiding  them  with  suggestions,  discussing  school  work  and  all 
boyish  ambitions,  giving  assistance  in  study,  and  discerning  and 
bringing  out  the  best  that  is  in  them. 


108  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 


THE  REAL  AIM  OF  CAMPING 

By  William  Mitchell 
Director  Camp  Harlee,  Laurel  Lake,  Tyler  Hill,  Pa. 

The  great  aim  of  a  camp  should  be  to  give  the  boy  camper 
every  benefit  possible.  The  average  boy  of  from  ten  to  fourteen 
years  of  age  is  impressionable;  full  of  the  desire  to  learn  and 
to  live,  and  it  is  at  this  time  in  his  life  when  camping  will  do 
him  the  greatest  amount  of  good.  The  one  thing  that  should 
be  most  emphasized  is  that  he  be  helpful  to  others.  It  is  all 
well  and  good  to  derive  as  much  pleasure  and  personal  benefit 
from  camp  life  as  possible.  That  is  what  the  camp  is  for.  But 
the  boy  who  seeks  only  selfish  benefit  and  refuses  to  give  a  help- 
ing hand  to  his  fellow  campers,  loses  much  of  the  beauty  and 
value  of  camp  life. 

The  time  is  coming  when  parents  will  fully  realize  the  great 
value  of  camp  life  for  the  all  round  development  of  their  boys. 
In  the  meantime  it  is  the  duty  of  the  camp  leader  to  equip  him- 
self for  the  great  task  of  dealing  with  tender  lives  and  to  make 
his  camp  more  than  a  mere  pleasure  ground.  It  should  be  this 
and  more.  The  only  camp  that  is  worth  while  is  the  one  that 
is  and  aims  to  be  a  character-building  institution. 


SPALDING'S   ATHLBTIO   LIBBABT.  109 

HOW  THE  BOYS'  CAMP  MOVEMENT  HAS 
GROWN 

By    ROBERt    TiNDALB. 

Director  Camp  Wonposet,  Bantam  Lake,  Conn. 

There  has  never  been  any  question  in  the  minds  of  most 
thinking  people  as  to  the  advisability  of  keeping  the  younger 
generation  out-o'-doors  as  much  as  possible.  The  various  wood- 
craft movements  begun  by  Seton-Thompson,  and  encouraged 
by  such  nationally-known  defenders  of  boydom  as  Dan  Beard  and 
his  brother,  have  developed  with  remarkable  rapidity  of  late 
years  and  one  of  the  natural  outgrowths  was  the  summer  camp 
for  boys. 

It  is  now  pretty  thoroughly  understood  that  the  change  of  air, 
change  of  mental  perspective,  change  of  food  and  companions 
and  methods  of  life  in  general,  all  under  the  blue  sky  and  forest 
trees  is  beneficial  to  a  degree.  Boys  are  becoming  more  self- 
reliant,  more  resourceful,  and,  after  their  long  period  of  study, 
far  healthier  boys. 

The  sweet,  clean  tent,  in  the  big  outdoors,  with  sandy  beaches, 
tennis  and  base  ball  matches,  in  addition  to  Nature's  wonderful 
book  of  many  mysteries,  open  for  all  to  see.  When  a  boy  re- 
turns at  the  end  of  a  season  he  is  pretty  much  a  master  of  any 
situation,  from  building  a  fire  without  matches  in  the  rain  to 
knowing  the  habits  of  the  cinnamon  bear  and  the  scarlet  tanager. 
We  are  destined  to  see  still  more  rapid  advances  in  the  boy's 
camp  movement  and  with  such  big,  manly  ideals,  guiding  it,  is 
sure  to  be  the  Mecca  of  every  real  boy  who  once  discovers  what 
Old  Chief  Wonposet  discovered,  many,  many  years  ago. 


BPALDING'B  ATHLBTIO  LIBRARY.  > 

THE  CAMP  AS  AN  ADJUNCT  TO  A 
SUMMER  SCHOOL 


Lafayette  W.  Yarwood,  who  is  director  of  the  "College  Camp/* 
near  the  Catholic  Summer  School  at  Cliff  Haven,  N.  Y.,  adjacent 
to  Plattsburgh,  on  Lake  Champlain,  has  made  an  especial  study 
of  camp  life  and  is  a  believer  in  athletics  as  a  vent  for  the  rest- 
less nature  of  the  boy  and  likewise  as  an  antidote  for  the  regu- 
larity of  the  life  which  would  otherwise  become  monotonous 
to  the  undeveloped  and  semi-disciplined  youngster. 

Mr.  Yarwood  says:  "The  educational  advantages  that  accrue 
to  a  boy  from  association  with  others  in  camp  can  be  readily 
appreciated.  Mental  training  and  character  building  depend  in 
great  measure  on  the  associations  of  youth,  and  diversity  of  ideas 
and  breadth  of  view  are  the  results  of  the  subconscious  impres- 
sions which  are  moulded  into  youthful  habits  of  thought.  Ath- 
letics and  muscle  building  must  have  a  prominent  place  in  the 
schedule  of  camp  existence.  Realizing  this,  camp  officials  are 
making  athletic  contests  an  attractive  incentive  to  boys  under 
their  charge.  Tennis,  base  ball,  golf  and  water  sports  are  some 
of  the  major  attractions  which  give  the  boys  healthful  outdoor 
exercise." 


HORSEBACK   RIDING   AT   CAMP   KINEO 


7 


CAMP  SETAG.  IN  THE  ADIRONDACKS,  N.  Y. 


A  standing  doubles  contest. 


Swimming  ashore   with   a  canoe   after  an   upset. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBABT.  lU 

HORSEBACK  RIDING  FOR   BOYS'  CAMPS 

By  Irving  G.  McColl,  Director  of  Camp  Kineo. 

Riding  is  a  manly  sport  which  every  young  gentleman  should 
master  as  early  in  life  as  possible.  The  "rough  rider"  idea 
appeals  to  every  live  boy  and  this  should  be  encouraged.  An 
ambition  to  become  a  cowboy  is  more  wholesome  for  the  young- 
ster than  a  desire  to  be  a  gentleman  chauffeur.  The  city- 
bred  boy  is  trending  too  much  in  the  latter  direction  and  knows 
more  at  thirteen  than  his  father  did  at  twenty— or  thinks  he 
does — and  has  more  privileges.  He  needs  some  "roughing  up" 
in  contact  with  other  beings,  human  and  otherwise,  and  a  re- 
adjustment of  his  opinions  and  ideals  to  fit  the  real  conditions 
he  will  encounter  later.  This  is  what  the  right  kind  of  camping 
will  do  for  him  and  here  he  should  have  the  widest  kind  of 
experience  such  as  he  does  not  get  during  his  school  year. 

Riding  as  a  part  of  the  boy's  training  in  sports  should  take 
equal  rank  with  swimming,  base  ball,  athletics  and  the  study  of 
nature  and  campcraft.  The  boy  should  learn  to  know  and  love 
his  pony.  Learning  to  ride  properly  is  a  training  in  self-control, 
•  in  unselfishness,  in  manliness,  and  in  a  broadening  of  interests, 
for  he  learns  to  treat  his  mount  kindly  and  keep  his  wits 
working. 

The  boy  who  learns  in  camp  something  about  his  true  relation 
to  the  world  around  him,  its  great  message  of  love  and  service, 
and  the  art  of  living  with  and  enjoying  other  beings  and  creatures 
about  him,  has  gained  something  worth  while. 


in  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

THE  VALUE  OF  CAMP  LIFE  FOR  GIRLS 

By  Miss  Ada  M.  Gates 
Camp  Setag,  in  the  Adirondacks,  N.  Y. 

The  past  few  years  have  brought  quite  clearly  to  parents  the 
value  of  the  outdoor  life  for  girls.  Heretofore  the  outdoor  sports 
and  the  week  or  month's  tenting  in  the  woods  and  enjoying  of 
nature  was  left  entirely  to  the  realm  of  boyhood.  Consequently 
she  did  not  reach  the  physical  development  she  should  and  thus 
her  mental  development  was  restricted.  The  broad,  wholesome 
view  of  life  she  should  have  had  given  her  was  lost — lost  in 
the  training  of  the  girls  who  were  to  be  the  mothers  of  the 
future  men  of  this  country. 

As  distinguished  from  mountain  climbing,  walks,  and  the 
various  phases  of  life  in  the  open — the  direct  activities  include 
tennis,  archery,  soccer,  basket  ball,  swimming  and  rowing.  All 
these  sports  stimulate  team  work  and  the  right  spirit  of  rivalry. 
The  swimming  hour  is  always  one  of  greatest  interest.  No  one 
can  use  boats  until  she  has  quahfied  by  swimming  a  certain  num- 
ber of  yards,  which  has  been  decided  upon  by  the  physical  di- 
rector. This  rule  stimulates  all  the  girls,  so  that  before  camp 
closes  practically  everyone  can  swim. 

And  when  the  nine  weeks  of  this  healthy,  helpful  and  happy 
life  come  to  an  end  many  girls  wish  instead  they  were  still  before 
them. 


BPAU>INa-S   ATHLETIC   MBBABT.  lU 

WHY  BASKET  BALL  IS  ESPECIALLY 
SUITABLE  FOR  GIRLS'  CAMPS 

By  Senda  Berenson  Abbott- 
Formerly  Director  of  Physical  Culture,  Northampton,  Mass. 

Of  all  times  and  places  the  summer  and  a  camp  are  most 
ideal  for  the  playing  of  games.  It  is  then  one  can  catch  the 
spirit  of  play — one  can  then  play  all  day  with  a  clear  conscience. 
And  what  more  delightful  game  is  there  to  play  than  basket  ball  ? 
It  has  been  the  most  popular  game  for  girls  ever  since  it  came 
into  existence,  over  twenty  years  ago.  It  is  played  by  thousands 
of  girls  of  all  ages,  all  over  the  country,  and  if  carefully  super- 
vised is  the  best  all  round  game  anyone  can  play. 

It  is  a  most  valuable  game  from  the  point  of  view  of  physical 
development;  it  exercises  every  part  of  the  body  and  does  not, 
like  most  other  games,  exercise  one  side  of  the  body  more  than 
the  other.  It  trains  the  mind  to  think  and  act  quickly.  Especially 
it  teaches,  as  no  other  game,  the  spirit  of  co-operation,  the  desire 
to  work  for  the  team  instead  of  for  oneself,  loyalty — traits  that 
the  woman  of  today  vitally  needs. 

From  a  practical  point  of  view  it  is  a  splendid  game  to  play 
in  a  camp,  as  it  gives  a  surprising  amount  of  exercise  and  pleas- 
ure the  very  first  time  one  plays  it — and  with  each  practise  the 
pleasure  and  interest  are  increased.  Until  teams  are  chosen,  if 
the  open  air  fi,eld  is  large  enough,  it  may  be  played  by  a  goodly 
number  (say,  ten  or  twelve  on  each  team)  at  one  time.  Young 
girls,  also,  may  play  it  with  perfect  safety,  providing  they  are 
never  allowed  to  play  it  without  supervision,  and  there  are 
numerous  periods  of  rest  during  the  practise. 

Surely,  anyone  who  has  tried  basket  ball  for  a  summer  will 
say  that  it  is  the  most  delightful  and  profitable  game  that  camp 
girls  play. 


IM  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 


CAMPS  FOR  ADULTS 

By  a.  Schatzel 
Director  Kamp  Kiwassa,  Oxford,  Maine. 

While,  what  might  be  termed  "community"  camps — as  dis- 
tinguished from  the  hunting  or  fishing  camp  of  a  few  sports- 
men— are  commonly  associated  with  those  designed  for  the 
summer  vacations  of  boys  and  girls,  there  is  just  as  much  neces- 
sity for  a  camp  on  similar  lines  for  the  grown-ups,  and  this 
phase  of  camp  life  is  meeting  with  much  encouragement  from 
those  wearied  with  the  conventionality  of  the  town  and  who 
have  not  the  desire  to  follow  it  during  the  all  too  short  period 
of  midsummer  recreation.  Living  in  the  open,  if  only  for  a 
limited  period,  fortifies  one  for  the  rigors  of  another  year  of 
urban  residence  and  the  healthful  and  recuperative  air  of  the 
forest  does  for  the  camper  what  the  prescription  clerk  can  never 
compound. 

No  camp  is  complete  now  without  the  athletic  feature — of 
varying  degrees  of  strenuosity,  as  the  camper  may  elect — and 
tennis,  volley  ball,  medicine  ball,  basket  ball,  and  even  base  ball 
with  the  soft  playground  ball,  all  lend  themselves  to  enjoyable 
contests  which  can  include  players  of  both  sexes. 

Style  is  ignored  and  with  congenial  companions,  the  days  soon 
pass,  while  the  evening  is  spent  around  the  big  campfire  with 
music,  story  telling  and  such  diversions  as  make  the  twilight 
hours  most  pleasant  memories. 


SPALDING'S  ATHLETIC  LIBBART.  116 

ATHLETICS  AT  CAMP 

By  George  V.  Bonhag,  Director. 

The  primary  object  of  a  camp  should  be  to  afford  boys  a 
wholesome  vacation — the  amount  of  exercise  to  be  indulged 
in  (in  the  various  forms  of  sports)  to  be  governed  entirely  by 
the  physical  condition  of  the  different  boys.  The  value  of 
athletics  as  an  aid  to  education  has  long  been  acknowledged  and 
at  all  the  leading  schools  of  the  country  a  certain  number  of 
hours  per  week,  devoted  solely  to  athletics,  is  insisted  upon. 

Right  here  is  where  the  camp  proves  an  invaluable  aid. 
Athletics  at  camp  should  not  be  conducted  as  a  requirement,  but 
should  be  encouraged  and  so  presented  as  to  afford  the  greatest 
amount  of  pleasure  to  the  participants.  Among  every  group  of 
boys  there  is  always  a  certain  number  who  are  more  or  less 
apathetic  to  athletics.  These  boys  should  be  instructed  in  the 
various  sports  in  such  a  manner  as  to  arouse  an  interest.  This 
can  be  accomplished  in  several  ways.  Take  for  instance  the 
game  of  base  ball.  The  writer  has  known  of  several  instances 
where  young  boys  have  shown  a  decided  dislike  for  the  most 
popular  of  American  sports;  yet  before  the  end  of  two  months 
some  of  these  boys  have  not  only  shown  great  interest  in  the 
sport,  but  decided  ability.  This  was  brought  about  by  forming  a 
base  ball  league,  playing  the  "indoor  base  ball"  game  outdoors. 
Every  boy,  no  matter  how  young,  could  take  part  and  be  a 
member  of  one  of  the  teams,  and  before  the  first  interclub  series 
was  finished  the  greatest  possible  interest  was  aroused  for  all, 
which  continued  throughout  the  season.  It  developed  a  sense 
of  team  work  in  the  boys  which  could  hardly  have  been  brought 
about  in  any  other  way.  The  same  thing  will  apply  to  other 
sports,  if  tournaments  are  arranged  for  teams — doubles  in  tennis, 
doubles  or  fours  in  rowing,  and  so  on  down  the  line.  The 
directors  of  camps  have  a  splendid  opportunity  to  develop  the 
js^ense  of  loyalty  in  the  boy — loyalty  to  his  school,  his  college,  his 


us  SPiLLDlNG'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

friends,  his  puriK)se  in  life— by  instilling  the  idea  of  team  work 
in  his  athletics. 

Track  work  at  camp  (especially  for  boys  under  sixteen  years 
of  age)  should  be  confined  to  such  events  for  which  it  will  not 
be  necessary  to  undergo  a  systematic  course  of  training.  The  out- 
door life  of  camp,  with  its  various  activities  in  base  ball,  tennis, 
swimming,  etc.,  should  be  sufficient  preparation  for  running  events 
up  to  the  440  yards  run,  and  races  of  longer  distance  can  well 
be  dispensed  with  at  camp.  The  purpose  of  the  camp  is  to  build 
up  the  boy  and  prepare  him  for  a  hard  year  at  school,  and 
training  for  young  boys  during  the  summer  season  will  defeat 
this  purpose. 


BPAU>INa'S   ATSUITIO   LIBBABT.  tVt 

CAMP   LIFE   HAS   DEVELOPED   MANY 
PROMINENT   ATHLETES 

By  George  C.  Carens,  in  the  Boston  Transcript 

With  the  recent  great  development  of  summer  camps,  schools 
and  colleges  have  been  quick  to  realize  how  much  these  institu- 
tions do  to  insure  that  steady  flow  of  good  athletes  that  is  not 
only  desirable,  but  virtually  necessary.  Many  of  our  college 
stars  received  their  early  base  ball  training  at  camp,  where  they 
were  under  the  direction  of  competent  coaches  and  where  they 
were  free  to  devote  much  of  their  time  to  their  favorite  sport. 
School  boys  who  have  spent  a  portion  of  every  day  during  the 
summer  on  the  diamond  or  tennis  court  or  in  the  water  are  bound 
to  become  proficient  athletes  and  to  find  the  task  of  earning  posi- 
tions on  the  school  teams  a  much  easier  task. 

Every  boy  must  learn  to  swim  in  order  to  care  for  himself  in 
the  water.  Instructors  usually  teach  the  best  methods  so  that 
it  is  not  many  days  before  the  smallest  members  of  the  camp  can 
take  the  "morning  dip"  with  the  larger  campers.  The  love  of 
the  water  in  summer  camps  has  no  doubt  been  the  cause  of  many 
of  the  marked  strides  made  by  this  sport  in  the  school  and  college 
ranks  of  recent  years. 

One  of  the  advantages  of  camp  life  is  that  everyone,  from 
the  director  down  through  the  councilors,  senior  and  junior 
campers,  is  required  to  share  the  work  of  bed-making,  water 
carrying,  cleaning  of  the  grounds  and  other  duties  which  under 
other  conditions  might  be  considered  distasteful.  A  democracy 
among  the  campers  is  developed  by  this  plan,  it  has  been  found, 
and  tends  to  develop  the  boys  physically.  A  part  of  the  after- 
noon programme  at  many  of  the  camps  includes  a  "rest  period,*' 
usually  after  lunch,  during  which  time  the  boys  are  required 
to  either  sleep  or  read,  in  order  that  the  life  may  not  key  them 
up  to  a  high  tension  and  assume  a  "merry-go-round"  atmos- 
phere. 


118  «PAl4DING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBBABT. 

Intra-camp  base  ball  leagues  are  formed  as  a  general  rule, 
with  the  councilor  in  charge  of  the  different  teams.  The  coun- 
cilors generally  are  boys  who  have  a  lot  of  natural  ability,  or 
athletes  of  more  or  less  note  who  have  made  good  as  college 
or  school  players.  The  programme  at  many  of  the  camps  is 
practically  along  the  lines  of  the  "compulsory  sports"  systems 
adopted  by  many  private  schools,  although  not  bearing  that 
name.  Every  boy  is  given  a  chance  to  get  into  the  game  and 
this  is  especially  true  of  base  ball,  for  the  club  system  is  usually 
adopted,  with  intense  rivalry  resulting.  Then,  too,  once  or 
twice  a  week  the  "first"  team  meets  nines  that  represent  adja- 
cent camps,  and  when  the  grouping  of  camps  allows,  a  league 
is  formed. 

Evening  story-telling,  occasional  visits  from  college  men  who 
are  known  because  of  their  feats  in  the  field  of  sports,  boat  and 
canoe  racing,  archery,  croquet  and  many  other  activities  are  used 
to  break  up  the  routine  and  put  zest  into  camp  life. 


8     4"^ 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below, 
or  on  the  date  to  which  renewed.  Renewals  only: 

Tel.  No.  642-3405 
Renewals  may  be  made  4  days  priod  to  date  due. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


FEB  1 Q  197?  0  8 

AUG2  6tr?  ^  1 
.     BEC'DLDAU616/1  .^PM^O, 


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